any of various hard corrosion-resistant alloys containing copper, tin (2–8 per cent), and phosphorus (0.1–0.4 per cent): used in gears, bearings, cylinder casings, etc
phosphor bronze in American English
noun
a bronze, composed of about 80 percent copper, 10 percent tin, 9 percent antimony, and 1 percent phosphorus, having great hardness and resistance to corrosion
Word origin
[1870–75]This word is first recorded in the period 1870–75. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: fifth wheel, giveaway, immobilize, linkage, upgrade