The Collaborative International Dictionary
Dutch brass
Tombac \Tom"bac\, n. [Pg. tambaca,tambaque, fr. Malay tamb[=a]ga copper; cf. Skr. t[=a]mraka; cf. F. tombac.] (Metal.) An alloy of copper and zinc, resembling brass, and containing about 84 per cent of copper; -- called also German brass or Dutch brass. It is very malleable and ductile, and when beaten into thin leaves is sometimes called Dutch metal. The addition of arsenic makes white tombac. [Written also tombak, and tambac.]