| 1. | any of various alloys of tin with smaller amounts of antimony and copper, used as an antifriction lining for bearings. |
| 2. | any of various similar alloys. |
bab·bitt metal  (bāb'ĭt)  n. Any of several soft, silvery antifriction alloys composed of tin usually with small amounts of copper and antimony. [After Isaac Babbitt (1799-1862), American inventor who patented such an alloy.] |
babbitt metal
any of several tin- or lead-based alloys used as bearing material for axles and crankshafts, based on the tin alloy invented in 1839 by Isaac Babbitt for use in steam engines. Modern babbitts provide a low-friction lining for bearing shells made of stronger metals such as cast iron, steel, or bronze. They may be made of: (1) high-tin alloys with small quantities of antimony and copper; (2) high-lead alloys containing antimony, arsenic, and tin; and (3) intermediate tin-lead alloys with antimony and copper.
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