The term galvanized originally meant electroplated, and didn't specify what metal was used, but it gradually came to mean primarily electroplating with zinc. In modern usage, it simply means coated with zinc, regardless of whether it's electroplated or hot dipped, at least according to Merriam-Webster who give this definition:
>: to coat (iron or steel) with zinc
>especially : to immerse in molten zinc to produce a coating of zinc-iron alloy
This is consistent with the way the term is used indescribing finishes on bolts, etc, by both professional sources such as McMaster or consumer sources such as home depot. The most common options are called zinc plated, which is electroplated, and hot dip galvanized, which does not involve an electric chemical process, in contrast to the origin of the term.
It's surely irritating to electrochemists that the meaning has shifted to go beyond electrochemical processes, but language change is inevitable.
JenJudy t1_ishjwho wrote
Reply to comment by ekjustice in How come some Galvanized steel panel have patterns? by LameTrouT
The term galvanized originally meant electroplated, and didn't specify what metal was used, but it gradually came to mean primarily electroplating with zinc. In modern usage, it simply means coated with zinc, regardless of whether it's electroplated or hot dipped, at least according to Merriam-Webster who give this definition:
>: to coat (iron or steel) with zinc
>especially : to immerse in molten zinc to produce a coating of zinc-iron alloy
This is consistent with the way the term is used indescribing finishes on bolts, etc, by both professional sources such as McMaster or consumer sources such as home depot. The most common options are called zinc plated, which is electroplated, and hot dip galvanized, which does not involve an electric chemical process, in contrast to the origin of the term.
It's surely irritating to electrochemists that the meaning has shifted to go beyond electrochemical processes, but language change is inevitable.