solder
SOL-der
/ˈsɒl.dər/
To join metal components by melting a filler metal alloy with a lower melting point into the joint.
Unlike welding, soldering melts only the filler metal, leaving the base pipes solid and un-melted.
The story behind the word. From Old French 'soulder', originating from Latin 'solidare' meaning 'to make solid' (from solidus). The silent 'l' in American pronunciation ('sah-der') reflects Old French phonetic evolution.
Word relationships
- braze: Brazing operates at much higher temperatures (above 450°C) using brass alloys, creating stronger high-pressure joints than soldering.
- weld: Welding melts the actual base metals together, whereas soldering only melts a separate low-melting filler metal alloy.
Commonly confused with
- weld: Welding fuses base metals directly; soldering uses a lower-temperature filler alloy without melting base metal.
Word family
- soldering (noun): The process or technique of joining metals with solder.
Collocations
- solder joint
- lead-free solder
- solder flux
- solder connection
Example sentences
- "The technician used a propane torch to solder the copper elbows onto the residential water lines." Copper pipe installation
- "Lead-free solder must be used on all potable drinking water lines under modern municipal building codes." Material inspection
Memory hook
SOLDER makes weak metal joints SOLID. Melts to join copper.
When not to use
Do not confuse with welding (melting base metals) or gluing plastic pipe with chemical cement.
Fun facts
- In American English, the 'l' in solder is silent ('sah-der'), whereas British English pronounces the 'l' explicitly ('soul-der').
Also appears in
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.