a metal alloy of nickel or titanium that has shape memory, meaning it returns to its original shape upon reheating after being deformed
nitinol in American English
(ˈnɪtəˌnɔl; ˈnɪtəˌnoʊl)
US
noun
any of several paramagnetic alloys of nickel and titanium that can be heated andshaped: when cooled and deformed, they resume their previous shapes upon being reheated
Word origin
nickel + titanium + N(aval) O(rdnance) L(aboratory) where discovered