SILVAS; SELVAS
Sil"vas or Sel"vas, n. pl. Etym: [L. silva a forest, Sp. selva.]
Defn: Vast woodland plains of South America.
SILVATE
Sil"vate, n. (Chem.)
Defn: Same as Sylvate.
SILVER Sil"ver, n. Etym: [OE. silver, selver, seolver, AS. seolfor, siolfur, siolufr, silofr, sylofr; akin to OS. silubar, OFries. selover, D. zilver, LG. sulver, OHG. silabar, silbar, G. silber, Icel. silfr, Sw. silfver, Dan. sölv, Goth. silubr, Russ. serebro, Lith. sidabras; of unknown origin.]
1. (Chem.)
Defn: A soft white metallic element, sonorous, ductile, very malleable, and capable of a high degree of polish. It is found native, and also combined with sulphur, arsenic, antimony, chlorine, etc., in the minerals argentite, proustite, pyrargyrite, ceragyrite, etc. Silver is one of the "noble" metals, so-called, not being easily oxidized, and is used for coin, jewelry, plate, and a great variety of articles. Symbol Ag (Argentum). Atomic weight 107.7. Specific gravity 10.5.
Note: Silver was known under the name of luna to the ancients and also to the alchemists. Some of its compounds, as the halogen salts, are remarkable for the effect of light upon them, and are used in photography.
2. Coin made of silver; silver money.
3. Anything having the luster or appearance of silver.