metallic
Americanadjective
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of, relating to, or consisting of metal.
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of the nature of or suggesting metal, as in luster, resonance, or hardness.
metallic green; a harsh metallic sound.
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Chemistry.
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(of a metal element) being in the free or uncombined state.
metallic iron.
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containing or yielding metal.
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noun
adjective
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of, concerned with, or consisting of metal or a metal
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suggestive of a metal
a metallic click
metallic lustre
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chem (of a metal element) existing in the free state rather than in combination
metallic copper
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of metallic
1560–70; < Latin metallicus < Greek metallikós of, for mines. See metal, -ic
Explanation
Metallic things are either made out of metal or look like they are. Your metallic party dress might be covered in sparkly silver sequins. Yowza! A metallic bicycle might be unpainted chrome — made of metal, in other words. Your metallic nail polish only resembles metal, glinting and shining gold. It's also possible to taste something that reminds you of metal and get a lingering metallic taste in your mouth. Metallic comes from metal, and both are rooted in the Greek metallon, "metal or ore."
Vocabulary lists containing metallic
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
They varied several properties of the setup, including the cavity geometry, characteristic frequency, material thicknesses, dielectric materials, and metallic strips.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 3, 2026
The metallic Ni observed after a reaction may simply form when nickel oxide is reduced by syngas at high temperatures, rather than representing the species that actually performs the catalysis.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 9, 2026
She first took off the hood to reveal her hair and headband, then removed the gown to play in a black tank top and metallic tennis skirt.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026
The same year, a rancher discovered metallic and rubber debris near the airfield at Roswell, N.M.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
Some were lowered in the front and painted in bright metallic colors, like candy apple red, and had tucked and rolled upholstery in white or black.
From "Breaking Through" by Francisco Jiménez
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