1. an alloy of copper and zinc used to make cheap jewelry and ornaments

Examples

• The antique buttons were made of tombac rather than real gold.
• Tombac jewelry was popular in the 18th century as an affordable alternative to precious metals.
• The craftsman worked with tombac to create decorative belt buckles.
• Many old coins were struck in tombac during times of metal shortages.
• The museum’s collection includes several tombac snuff boxes from the colonial period.