(1)Theoriginalmetaltowhichoneormorecoatingsareapplied.Alsoknownasbasismetal.
(2)Themetalpresentinthelargestproportioninanalloy;brass,forexample,isacopper-basealloy.
(3)Ametalthatreadilyoxidizes,orthatdissolvestoformions.Contrastwithnoblemetal.