cop·per 1   (kŏp'ər)    n.   Symbol Cu A ductile, malleable, reddish-brown metallic element that is an excellent conductor of heat and electricity and is widely used for electrical wiring, water piping, and corrosion-resistant parts, either pure or in alloys such as brass and bronze. Atomic number 29; atomic weight 63.54; melting point 1,083°C; boiling point 2,595°C; specific gravity 8.96; valence 1, 2. See Table at element. A coin, usually of small denomination, made of copper or a copper alloy. Chiefly British A large cooking pot made of copper or often of iron. Any of various small butterflies of the subfamily Lycaeninae, having predominantly copper-colored wings. A reddish brown. tr.v.   cop·pered, cop·per·ing, cop·pers To coat or finish with a layer of copper. Slang To bet against, as in faro. [Middle English coper, from Old English, from Late Latin cuprum, from Latin Cyprium (aes), Cyprian (metal), from Cyprius, of Cyprus, from Greek Kuprios, from Kupros, Cyprus.] cop'per·y adj.

Copper

Cop"per\, n. [OE. coper (cf. D. koper, Sw. koppar, Dan. kobber, G. kupfer), LL. cuper, fr. L. cuprum for earlier Cyprium, Cyprium aes, i.e., Cyprian brass, fr. Gr. ? of Cyprus (Gr. ?), anciently renowned for its copper mines. Cf. Cypreous.]

1. A common metal of a reddish color, both ductile and malleable, and very tenacious. It is one of the best conductors of heat and electricity. Symbol Cu. Atomic weight 63.3. It is one of the most useful metals in itself, and also in its alloys, brass and bronze.

Note: Copper is the only metal which occurs native abundantly in large masses; it is found also in various ores, of which the most important are chalcopyrite, chalcocite, cuprite, and malachite. Copper mixed with tin forms bell metal; with a smaller proportion, bronze; and with zinc, it forms brass, pinchbeck, and other alloys.

2. A coin made of copper; a penny, cent, or other minor coin of copper. [Colloq.]

My friends filled my pockets with coppers. --Franklin.

3. A vessel, especially a large boiler, made of copper.

4. pl. Specifically (Naut.), the boilers in the galley for cooking; as, a ship's coppers.

Note: Copper is often used adjectively, commonly in the sense of made or consisting of copper, or resembling copper; as, a copper boiler, tube, etc.

All in a hot and copper sky. --Coleridge.

Note: It is sometimes written in combination; as, copperplate, coppersmith, copper-colored.

Copper finch. (Zo["o]l.) See Chaffinch.

Copper glance, or Vitreous copper. (Min.) See Chalcocite.

Indigo copper. (Min.) See Covelline.

copper

n. Conventional electron-carrying network cable with a core conductor of copper -- or aluminum! Opposed to light pipe or, say, a short-range microwave link.

copper 

Main Entry: cop·per
Pronunciation: 'käp-&r
Function: noun
often attributive : a common reddish metallic element that is ductile andmalleable and one of the best conductors of heat and electricity —symbol Cu; —see ELEMENT table —cop·pery /'käp-(&-)rE/ adjective

copper cop·per (kŏp'ər)
n.
Symbol Cu
A ductile malleable metallic element that is an excellent conductor of heat and electricity and is used for electrical wiring, water piping, and corrosion-resistant parts, either pure or in alloys such as brass and bronze. Atomic number 29; atomic weight 63.546; melting point 1,085°C; boiling point 2,562°C; specific gravity 8.96; valence 1, 2.

copper   (kŏp'ər)  Pronunciation Key  Symbol Cu A reddish-brown, ductile, malleable metallic element that is an excellent conductor of heat and electricity. It is widely used for electrical wires, water pipes, and rust-resistant parts, either in its pure form or in alloys such as brass and bronze. Atomic number 29; atomic weight 63.546; melting point 1,083°C; boiling point 2,595°C; specific gravity 8.96; valence 1, 2. See Periodic Table. See Note at element.

copper
Conventional electrical network cable with a core conductor of copper (or aluminium!)
Opposed to light pipe or, say, a short-range microwave link.
[The Jargon File]
(1994-11-30)

Copper

derived from the Greek kupros (the island of Cyprus), called "Cyprian brass," occurs only in the Authorized Version in Ezra 8:27. Elsewhere the Hebrew word (nehosheth) is improperly rendered "brass," and sometimes "steel" (2 Sam. 22:35; Jer. 15:12). The "bow of steel" (Job 20:24; Ps. 18:34) should have been "bow of copper" (or "brass," as in the R.V.). The vessels of "fine copper" of Ezra 8:27 were probably similar to those of "bright brass" mentioned in 1 Kings 7:45; Dan. 10:6. Tubal-cain was the first artificer in brass and iron (Gen. 4:22). Hiram was noted as a worker in brass (1 Kings 7:14). Copper abounded in Palestine (Deut. 8:9; Isa. 60:17; 1 Chr. 22:3, 14). All sorts of vessels in the tabernacle and the temple were made of it (Lev. 6:28; Num. 16:39; 2 Chr. 4:16; Ezra 8:27); also weapons of war (1 Sam. 17:5, 6, 38; 2 Sam. 21:16). Iron is mentioned only four times (Gen. 4:22; Lev. 26:19; Num. 31:22; 35:16) in the first four books of Moses, while copper (rendered "brass") is mentioned forty times. (See BRASS.) We find mention of Alexander (q.v.), a "coppersmith" of Ephesus (2 Tim. 4:14).