¹metal

noun, met·al often attributive \ˈme-t^əl\

: a substance (such as gold, tin, or copper) that usually has a shiny appearance, is a good conductor of electricity and heat, can be melted, and is usually capable of being shaped

Full Definition of METAL

: any of various opaque, fusible, ductile, and typically lustrous substances that are good conductors of electricity and heat, form cations by loss of electrons, and yield basic oxides and hydroxides; especially : one that is a chemical element as distinguished from an alloy

a : mettle 1a

b : the substance out of which a person or thing is made

: glass in its molten state

a : printing type metal

b : matter set in metal type

: road metal

: heavy metal

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Origin of METAL

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin metallum mine, metal, from Greek metallon

First Known Use: 14th century

Other Chemical Engineering Terms

alkali, cation, decant, hygroscopic, isotope, oxidize, slurry, solute, viscous

Rhymes with METAL

fettle, kettle, mettle, nettle, petal, settle, shtetl

²metal

verb

metaled or metalledmetal·ing or metal·ling

Definition of METAL

transitive verb

: to cover or furnish with metal

First Known Use of METAL

1617

Rhymes with METAL

fettle, nettle, settle

METAL Defined for Kids

metal

noun met·al \ˈme-t^əl\

Definition of METAL for Kids

: a substance (as gold, tin, copper, or bronze) that has a more or less shiny appearance, is a good conductor of electricity and heat, and usually can be made into a wire or hammered into a thin sheet

: mettle

Medical Dictionary