ingot
UK[ˈɪŋɡət]US[ˈɪŋɡət]
n
A mass of metal, such as gold, silver, or steel, cast into a shape that is easy to handle or store.
Etymology
The word 'ingot' entered Middle English in the late 14th century, referring to a mold for casting metal. It is believed to derive from an Old English or Middle English term related to the act of pouring or casting, though its precise Germanic origin is obscure. The modern sense of the metal mass itself, rather than the mold, became established by the early 17th century. The word's journey reflects the specialized vocabulary of medieval metallurgy, where a term for the forming process came to denote the resulting product.
Analysis
The word 'ingot' is a simplex loanword. Its spelling and form were borrowed as a whole unit into English.
Examples
The gold was melted down and poured into a mold to form a solid ingot.
Steel ingots are heated and rolled into sheets or beams at the factory.
The vault contained several silver ingots of standard weight and purity.