hot metal

American

noun

Printing.

metallic type and printing elements produced by a casting machine; foundry type.

hot metal British

noun

1. metallic type cast into shape in the molten state
2. ( as modifier )
  
  hot-metal printing

"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

Etymology

Origin of hot metal

First recorded in 1955–60

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.

See Examples For:

hot metal

The investigation report also said the fire resulted from hot metal particles falling onto vegetation below the tower, which had not been cleared in years.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026

A so-called "Salamander Tap" process can be used to temporarily shut down a blast furnace by drilling a hole to remove any remaining hot metal.

From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026

Many factories, including Tesla’s, rely on robotic arms to do heavy lifting or dangerous tasks like moving hot metal.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 3, 2026

Foam handles protect vulnerable hands from hot metal knobs on exterior doors.

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 18, 2023

We stand in line; for even longer we sit on hot metal benches facing the podium.

From "Inside Out and Back Again" by Thanhha Lai

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023