Dictionary Definition
fineness
Noun
1 the quality of being very good indeed; "the inn
is distinguished by the fineness of its cuisine" [syn: choiceness]
2 the property of being very narrow or thin; "he
marvelled at the fineness of her hair" [syn: thinness]
3 having a very fine texture; "the fineness of
the sand on the beach" [syn: powderiness]
4 the quality of being beautiful and delicate in
appearance; "the daintiness of her touch"; "the fineness of her
features" [syn: daintiness, delicacy]
User Contributed Dictionary
English
Noun
- The ratio, in a precious metal, of the primary metal to any additives or impurities.
- The ratio of a ship's length to her beam.
Extensive Definition
The fineness of a precious
metal refers to the ratio of the primary metal to any additives or impurities. Most precious metal
is used in the form of an alloy. Other metals are added to
increase hardness, to
make the metal more practical for use in such items as coins and jewelry, or to decrease the cost
of the alloy. For example, copper is added to the precious
metal silver to make a
more durable alloy for use in coins, housewares and jewelry.
A traditional measure for the fineness of silver
in Britain is
the mass of the amount of
silver in 12 troy ounces
of the resulting alloy. Britannia
silver has a fineness of 11 troy ounces, 10 pennyweights, or about
95.83% silver, whereas sterling
silver has a fineness of 11 troy ounces, 2 pennyweights, or
about 92.5% silver.
In other locations fineness is measured in units
of mass per thousand. In the United
States, silver coins often had a fineness of 900, meaning 90%
silver and 10% copper.
The fineness (or purity) of gold is commonly measured in
carats
or karats. The upper end of the scale is 24 carat for 100%.
Thus 18 carat = 18/24% = 75%.
See also
fineness in German: Feingehalt
fineness in Slovak: Rýdzosť