Nickel (noun)

1. A metallic element with the atomic number 28 and symbol Ni. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge.
2. A coin made of nickel, especially the five-cent coin of the United States, Canada, and Australia.

Origin:

From german nickel, from middle low german nickel, nicken "demon" (because it was believed to be a base metal that could not be properly extracted from ore, and so was thought to be the work of the devil), from old nick.

Examples:

1. Nickel is a common component of stainless steel.
2. He put a nickel in the vending machine and pressed the button.
3. Nickel is often used to make coins, because it is very durable.
4. Nickel is a common component of rechargeable batteries.
5. The nickel mines in Canada are some of the largest in the world.