To remove zinc coating or zinc from a metal object, usually causing it to lose its protective layer.
From the prefix de- (meaning to remove) combined with zincify (to coat with zinc). The term emerged in metallurgy in the early 20th century as industrial processes needed specific terminology for removing zinc plating.
Dezincification is a real problem in brass pipes—the zinc corrodes away in certain water conditions, leaving weak copper behind, which is why old plumbing sometimes springs mysterious leaks!
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