silver

silver — noun

1. a grey-white metal that is very valuable and can be polished until it shines bri

1.nounA2
Definition

a grey-white metal that is very valuable and can be polished until it shines brightly, often used in jewellery, coins, and household objects such as forks and knives.

Example

The Watanabe family passed down a set of silver jewellery from grandmother to granddaughter.

family heirloom context

For her birthday, Shanti received a beautiful silver necklace with a small blue stone.

Common collocations
  • pure silver
  • solid silver
  • sterling silver
  • silver jewellery
  • silver coins
  • silver mine
  • made of silver
  • cast in silver
Synonyms
  • precious metal

    broader category including gold and platinum; less specific than 'silver'

Grammar Patterns

silver + noun (attributive)

Usage Note

Uncountable when referring to the metal itself. To refer to individual items made of silver, use 'a silver [object]' (a silver necklace, silver coins).

Common Mistakes

I bought a silver for my sister.
I bought a silver necklace for my sister.
When referring to a specific object, the item must be named (necklace, ring, etc.), not just 'a silver' (which could mean a silver medal in sports contexts).

2. a disc of shiny silver-coloured metal presented to the runner-up in a contest or

2.nounB1
Definition

a disc of shiny silver-coloured metal presented to the runner-up in a contest or sporting event.

Example

Baraka won a silver in the 100-metre race at the national championships.

collocation: win a silver (medal)

Yumi's team took the silver after losing the final match by just one point.

Common collocations
  • win a silver
  • take the silver
  • earn a silver
  • silver medal
  • silver medallist
Synonyms
Antonyms
  • gold

    the first-place medal

  • bronze

    the third-place medal

Grammar Patterns

win + a + silver

take + the + silver

silver + medal

Usage Note

Can be shortened to 'a silver' in sports journalism: 'She won a silver in the 200-metre race.' The full form 'silver medal' is more common in everyday speech.

Common Mistakes

She got a silver price.
She won a silver medal.
Use 'medal' or 'silver' (second prize), not 'price' which refers to cost.

3. the colour of polished silver: a grey-white shade with a bright, reflective qual

3.nounA2
Definition

the colour of polished silver: a grey-white shade with a bright, reflective quality.

Example

Asher painted his bedroom walls in a soft silver that caught the morning light.

The car's new paint job was a beautiful silver that sparkled under the sun.

collocation: beautiful silver (colour)

Common collocations
  • shade of silver
  • pale silver
  • soft silver
  • dark silver
  • silver-grey
Synonyms
  • grey-white

    describes the colour without the metallic shine; less vivid

  • argent

    literary or heraldic term; very rare in everyday English

Grammar Patterns

a + adjective + silver

shade of silver

Usage Note

Often used with a descriptive adjective: 'a pale silver', 'a soft silver', 'a dark silver'. As an uncountable noun the colour is simply 'silver' ('the car is silver').

Idioms

born with a silver spoon in your mouth

idiom

Someone who is born into a very rich family.

Maya was born with a silver spoon in her mouth and never had to work.

Even though he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, Brian is very humble.

cross somebody’s palm with silver

idiom

To pay someone money, especially to a fortune teller, to get a service.

The fortune teller asked me to cross her palm with silver first.

If you cross his palm with silver, he might tell you the secret.

every cloud has a silver lining

idiom

There is something good in every bad situation.

Losing the job was hard, but every cloud has a silver lining.

Sara reminded me that every cloud has a silver lining after the accident.

on a silver platter

idiom

If you get something without having to work for it.

Diego expects his promotion to be handed to him on a silver platter.

Nothing in life comes on a silver platter; you have to earn it.

silver — adjective

silver — verb

Word family

  • silvery
    adjectiveB1
  • silvered
    adjectiveC1
  • silverware
    nounB1
  • silversmith
    nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Silver, gold, and platinum are all precious metals used for making jewellery, coins, and decorative objects, but they differ in colour, value, and common use. Silver has a cool grey-white shine and is the most affordable of the three, making it a popular choice for everyday accessories like necklaces and rings. Gold has a warm yellow tone and holds a higher value per gram; it is the traditional metal for wedding rings and luxury items. Platinum is a dense, naturally white metal that is rarer and more expensive than gold, often used in high-end jewellery and industrial applications. In everyday language, 'silver' and 'gold' are also used as colours ('silver paint', 'gold shoes'), while 'platinum' rarely names a colour outside of hair dye ('platinum blonde'). A learner might say 'a silver necklace' for a piece of affordable jewellery, 'a gold ring' for a more precious item, and 'a platinum band' for an exclusive, long-lasting piece.

silver ↗gold ↗platinum ↗

Common collocations

Phrases

  • made of silver
  • plated with silver

Prepositions

  • in silver
  • of silver
  • with silver

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld EnglishEnglish

The word 'silver' comes from Old English 'seolfor', which can be traced back to a Proto-Germanic root *silubra-. This Germanic source may have been borrowed from an earlier language of the Mediterranean or Anatolian region, as the word for silver does not have clear Indo-European relatives in other branches. The modern English spelling settled by the 15th century, while the related word 'silvery' (meaning 'resembling silver') appeared in the late 16th century.