Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Silver \Sil"ver\, n. [OE. silver, selver, seolver, AS. seolfor,
   siolfur, siolufr, silofr, sylofr; akin to OS. silubar,
   OFries. selover, D. zilver, LG. sulver, OHG. silabar, silbar,
   G. silber, Icel. silfr, Sw. silfver, Dan. s["o]lv, Goth.
   silubr, Russ. serebro, Lith. sidabras; of unknown origin.]
   1. (Chem.) A soft white metallic element, sonorous, ductile,
      very malleable, and capable of a high degree of polish. It
      is found native, and also combined with sulphur, arsenic,
      antimony, chlorine, etc., in the minerals argentite,
      proustite, pyrargyrite, ceragyrite, etc. Silver is one of
      the ``noble'' metals, so-called, not being easily
      oxidized, and is used for coin, jewelry, plate, and a
      great variety of articles. Symbol Ag (Argentum). Atomic
      weight 107.7. Specific gravity 10.5.

   Note: Silver was known under the name of luna to the ancients
         and also to the alchemists. Some of its compounds, as
         the halogen salts, are remarkable for the effect of
         light upon them, and are used in photography.

   2. Coin made of silver; silver money.

   3. Anything having the luster or appearance of silver.

   4. The color of silver.

   Note: Silver is used in the formation of many compounds of
         obvious meaning; as, silver-armed, silver-bright,
         silver-buskined, silver-coated, silver-footed,
         silver-haired, silver-headed, silver-mantled,
         silver-plated, silver-slippered, silver-sounding,
         silver-studded, silver-tongued, silver-white. See
         {Silver}, a.

   {Black silver} (Min.), stephanite; -- called also {brittle
      silver ore}, or {brittle silver glance}.

   {Fulminating silver}. (Chem.)
      (a) A black crystalline substance, {Ag2O.(NH3)2}, obtained
          by dissolving silver oxide in aqua ammonia. When dry
          it explodes violently on the slightest percussion.
      (b) Silver fulminate, a white crystalline substance,
          {Ag2C2N2O2}, obtained by adding alcohol to a solution
          of silver nitrate. When dry it is violently explosive.
          

   {German silver}. (Chem.) See under {German}.

   {Gray silver}. (Min.) See {Freieslebenite}.

   {Horn silver}. (Min.) See {Cerargyrite}.

   {King's silver}. (O. Eng. Law) See {Postfine}.

   {Red silver}, or {Ruby silver}. (Min.) See {Proustite}, and
      {Pyrargyrite}.

   {Silver beater}, one who beats silver into silver leaf or
      silver foil.

   {Silver glance}, or {Vitreous silver}. (Min.) See
      {Argentine}.

German \Ger"man\, a. [L. Germanus. See {German}, n.]
   Of or pertaining to Germany.

   {German Baptists}. See {Dunker}.

   {German bit}, a wood-boring tool, having a long elliptical
      pod and a scew point.

   {German carp} (Zo["o]l.), the crucian carp.

   {German millet} (Bot.), a kind of millet ({Setaria Italica},
      var.), whose seed is sometimes used for food.

   {German paste}, a prepared food for caged birds.

   {German process} (Metal.), the process of reducing copper ore
      in a blast furnace, after roasting, if necessary.
      --Raymond.

   {German sarsaparilla}, a substitute for sarsaparilla extract.
      

   {German sausage}, a polony, or gut stuffed with meat partly
      cooked.

   {German silver} (Chem.), a silver-white alloy, hard and
      tough, but malleable and ductile, and quite permanent in
      the air. It contains nickel, copper, and zinc in varying
      proportions, and was originally made from old copper slag
      at Henneberg. A small amount of iron is sometimes added to
      make it whiter and harder. It is essentially identical
      with the Chinese alloy {packfong}. It was formerly much
      used for tableware, knife handles, frames, cases, bearings
      of machinery, etc., but is now largely superseded by other
      white alloys.

   {German steel} (Metal.), a metal made from bog iron ore in a
      forge, with charcoal for fuel.

   {German text} (Typog.), a character resembling modern German
      type, used in English printing for ornamental headings,
      etc., as in the words,

   Note: This line is German Text.

   {German tinder}. See {Amadou}.

Source : WordNet®

German silver
     n : a silver-white alloy containing copper and zinc and nickel
         [syn: {nickel silver}]