The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Silver \Sil"ver\ (s[i^]l"v[~e]r), n. [OE. silver, selver,
   seolver, AS. seolfor, siolfur, siolufr, silofr, sylofr; akin
   to OS. silubar, OFries. selover, D. zilver, LG. sulver, OHG.
   silabar, silbar, G. silber, Icel. silfr, Sw. silfver, Dan.
   s["o]lv, Goth. silubr, Russ. serebro, Lith. sidabras; of
   unknown origin.]
   1. (Chem.) A soft white metallic element, sonorous, ductile,
      very malleable, and capable of a high degree of polish. It
      is found native, and also combined with sulphur, arsenic,
      antimony, chlorine, etc., in the minerals argentite,
      proustite, pyrargyrite, ceragyrite, etc. Silver is one of
      the "noble" metals, so-called, not being easily oxidized,
      and is used for coin, jewelry, plate, and a great variety
      of articles. Symbol Ag (Argentum). Atomic weight 107.7.
      Specific gravity 10.5.
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   Note: Silver was known under the name of luna to the ancients
         and also to the alchemists. Some of its compounds, as
         the halogen salts, are remarkable for the effect of
         light upon them, and are used in photography.
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   2. Coin made of silver; silver money.
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   3. Anything having the luster or appearance of silver.
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   4. The color of silver.
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   Note: Silver is used in the formation of many compounds of
         obvious meaning; as, silver-armed, silver-bright,
         silver-buskined, silver-coated, silver-footed,
         silver-haired, silver-headed, silver-mantled,
         silver-plated, silver-slippered, silver-sounding,
         silver-studded, silver-tongued, silver-white. See
         Silver, a.
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   Black silver (Min.), stephanite; -- called also brittle
      silver ore, or brittle silver glance.

   Fulminating silver. (Chem.)
      (a) A black crystalline substance, Ag2O.(NH3)2, obtained
          by dissolving silver oxide in aqua ammonia. When dry
          it explodes violently on the slightest percussion.
      (b) Silver fulminate, a white crystalline substance,
          Ag2C2N2O2, obtained by adding alcohol to a solution
          of silver nitrate; -- also called fulminate of
          silver. When dry it is violently explosive.

   German silver. (Chem.) See under German.

   Gray silver. (Min.) See Freieslebenite.

   Horn silver. (Min.) See Cerargyrite.

   King's silver. (O. Eng. Law) See Postfine.

   Red silver, or Ruby silver. (Min.) See Proustite, and
      Pyrargyrite.

   Silver beater, one who beats silver into silver leaf or
      silver foil.

   Silver glance, or Vitreous silver. (Min.) See
      Argentine.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Stephanite \Steph"an*ite\, n. [So named after the Archduke
   Stephan, mining director of Austria.] (Min.)
   A sulphide of antimony and silver of an iron-black color and
   metallic luster; called also black silver, and brittle
   silver ore.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Brittle \Brit"tle\, a. [OE. britel, brutel, AS. bryttian to
   dispense, fr. bre['o]tan to break; akin to Icel. brytja, Sw.
   bryta, Dan. bryde. Cf. Brickle.]
   Easily broken; apt to break; fragile; not tough or tenacious.
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         Farewell, thou pretty, brittle piece
         Of fine-cut crystal.                     --Cotton.
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   Brittle silver ore, the mineral stephanite.
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