Tom"bac (?), n. [Pg. tambaca,tambaque, fr. Malay tambaga copper; cf. Skr. tamraka; cf. F. tombac.] Metal.
An alloy of copper and zinc, resembling brass, and containing about 84 per cent of copper; -- called also German, ∨ 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.]
© Webster 1913.