gunmetal

or gun met·al

[ guhn-met-l ]

/ ˈgʌnˌmɛt l /

noun

any of various alloys or metallic substances with a dark gray or blackish color or finish, used for chains, belt buckles, etc.

Also called gunmetal gray. a dark gray with bluish or purplish tinge.

a bronze formerly much used for cannon.

an alloy of 88 percent copper, 10 percent tin, and 2 percent zinc, cast or machined for use in valves, gears, and other parts.

Origin of gunmetal

First recorded in 1535–45; gun¹ + metal

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for gun-metal

And all the guns I ever saw had that bluish look, as gun-metal has.
The Boy With the U.S. Census|Francis Rolt-Wheeler
Iron ladders were fixed for landing, and by a gun-metal ladder we were able to reach the entrance port.
A Yacht Voyage Round England|W.H.G. Kingston
It sparkled like gun-metal in the rocks, floated in suspension in the green water.
The Tower of Oblivion|Oliver Onions
She held him with her soft arms and twiddled the gun-metal buttons of his blouse.
We Can't Have Everything|Rupert Hughes

When we got to Paris, there seemed to be an epidemic of gun-metal ornaments set with tiny pearls, diamonds, or sapphires.
Abroad with the Jimmies|Lilian Bell

British Dictionary definitions for gun-metal

gunmetal

/ (ˈɡʌnˌmɛtəl) /

noun

a type of bronze containing copper (88 per cent), tin (8–10 per cent), and zinc (2–4 per cent): used for parts that are subject to wear or to corrosion, esp by sea water

any of various dark grey metals used for toys, belt buckles, etc

a dark grey colour with a purplish or bluish tinge
(as adjective)gunmetal chiffon

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for gun-metal