[ noun ] an alloy of copper and zinc (and sometimes arsenic) used to imitate gold in cheap jewelry and for gilding <noun.substance>
Tombac \Tom"bac\, n. [Pg. tambaca,tambaque, fr. Malay tamb[=a]ga copper; cf. Skr. t[=a]mraka; cf. F. tombac.] (Metal.) An alloy of copper and zinc, resembling brass, and containing about 84 per cent of copper; -- called also {German brass} or {Dutch brass}. It is very malleable and ductile, and when beaten into thin leaves is sometimes called {Dutch metal}. The addition of arsenic makes {white tombac}. [Written also {tombak}, and {tambac}.]