Meaning

noun a mixture containing two or more metallic elements or metallic and nonmetallic elements usually fused together or dissolving into each other when molten

noun the state of impairing the quality or reducing the value of something

verb lower in value by increasing the base-metal content

originModification of Middle English alayen after Etymology 1, from Middle French allayer, vairant of allier, from Old French allier (“assemble, join”), from Latin alligare (“bind to, tie to”), compound of ad (“to”) + ligare (“to bind”).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0