SKIP TO CONTENT

solder

/ˈsɑdər/
/ˈsʌʊldə/
IPA guide

Other forms: soldered; soldering; solders

If you want to be a metalsmith you’ll have to become familiar with solder, which is the substance you use to fuse two metal surfaces.

The word solder traces back to the Latin word solidare, meaning “to make solid.” That’s what you use solder for: to make something solid. In this case you are joining two metal surfaces so they appear as one solid piece. The word also has a verb form, also solder, to describe the act of joining the metal pieces. You might use solder, for example, to solder a metal piece on a computer's motherboard.

Definitions of solder
  1. verb
    join or fuse with solder
    solder these two pipes together”
    see moresee less
    types:
    dip solder
    solder by immersion in a bath of molten solder
    soft-solder
    repair with soft-solder
    braze
    solder together by using hard solder with a high melting point
    type of:
    conjoin, join
    make contact or come together
  2. noun
    an alloy (usually of lead and tin) used when melted to join two metal surfaces
    see moresee less
    types:
    hard solder
    solder that contains copper; melts at a relatively high temperature; used for brazing
    silver solder
    a solder that contains silver
    soft solder
    solder that melts at a relatively low temperature
    type of:
    alloy, metal
    a mixture containing two or more metallic elements or metallic and nonmetallic elements usually fused together or dissolving into each other when molten
Pronunciation
US
/ˈsɑdər/
UK
/ˈsʌʊldə/
Cite this entry
Style:
MLA
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago

Copy citation
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘solder'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family