noun

1. the relative purity of gold or silver; fineness
2. a substance that is a mixture, as by fusion, of two or more metals, or of a metal and something else
3. 1. Archaic a less valuable metal mixed with a more valuable one, often to give hardness
   2. something that lowers the value or quality of another thing when mixed with it

Etymology: ME alai < Anglo-Fr alei (OFr aloi) < aleier: see alloythe

transitive verb

1. to make (a metal) less pure by mixing with a less valuable metal
2. to mix (metals) to form an alloy
3. to debase by mixing with something inferior

Etymology: Fr aloyer < OFr aloier, aleier < L alligare < ad-, to + ligare, to bind: see ligature