metal

¹

[met-l]

noun

1. any of a class of elementary substances, as gold, silver, or copper, all of which are crystalline when solid and many of which are characterized by opacity, ductility, conductivity, and a unique luster when freshly fractured.

2. Chemistry.

   1. such a substance in its pure state, as distinguished from alloys.

   2. an element yielding positively charged ions in aqueous solutions of its salts.

3. an alloy or mixture composed wholly or partly of such substances, as brass.

4. an object made of metal.

5. formative material; stuff.

6. mettle.

7. Printing.

   1. type metal.

   2. the state of being set in type.

8. molten glass in the pot or melting tank.

9. British.,  road metal.

verb (used with object)

metaled, metaling , metalled, metalling .

1. to furnish or cover with metal.

2. British.,  to pave or surface (a road) with broken stone.

metal.

²

abbreviation

1. metallurgical.

2. metallurgy.

metal

¹

/ ˈmɛtəl /

noun

1. 1. any of a number of chemical elements, such as iron or copper, that are often lustrous ductile solids, have basic oxides, form positive ions, and are good conductors of heat and electricity

   2. an alloy, such as brass or steel, containing one or more of these elements

2. printing type made of metal

3. the substance of glass in a molten state or as the finished product

4. short for road metal

5. informal,  short for heavy metal

6. navy

   1. the total weight of projectiles that can be shot by a ship's guns at any one time

   2. the total weight or number of a ship's guns

7. Also called: heavy element. astronomy any element heavier than helium

8. heraldry gold or silver

9. (plural) the rails of a railway

adjective

1. made of metal

verb

1. to fit or cover with metal

2. to make or mend (a road) with road metal

metal.

²

abbreviation

1. metallurgical

2. metallurgy

metal

1. Any of a large group of chemical elements, including iron, gold, copper, lead, and magnesium, that readily become cations and form ionic bonds, having relatively free valence electrons (electrons in the outer shells). Metals are generally good conductors of electricity because of the freedom of their valence electrons. Metals generally conduct heat well, and in solid form are relatively malleable and ductile compared to other solids. They are usually shiny and opaque. All metals except mercury are solid at room temperature.

2. An alloy, such as steel or bronze, made of two or more metals.

3. In astronomy, any atom except hydrogen and helium.

4. Small stones or gravel, mixed with tar to form tarmac for the surfacing of roads.

Usage

Most metallic elements are lustrous or colorful solids that are good conductors of heat and electricity, and readily form ionic bonds with other elements. Many of their properties are due to the fact that their outermost electrons, called valence electrons, are not tightly bound to the nucleus. For instance, most metals form ionic bonds easily because they readily give up valence electrons to other atoms, thereby becoming positive ions (cations). The electrical conductivity of metals also stems from the relative freedom of valence electrons. In a substance composed of metals, the atoms are in a virtual ”sea“ of valence electrons that readily jump from atom to atom in the presence of an electric potential, creating electric current. With the exception of hydrogen, which behaves like a metal only at very high pressures, the elements that appear in the left-hand column of the Periodic Table are called alkali metals. Alkali metals, such as sodium and potassium, have only one electron in their outermost shell, and are chemically very reactive. (Hydrogen is exceptional in that, although it is highly reactive, its other metallic properties are manifest only at very high pressures.) Metals farther toward the right side of the Periodic Table, such as tin and lead, have more electrons in their outermost shell, and are not as reactive. The somewhat reactive elements that fall between the two extremes are the transition elements, such as iron, copper, tungsten, and silver. In most atoms, inner electron shells must be maximally occupied by electrons before an outer shell will accept electrons, but many transition elements have electron gaps in the shell just inside the valence shell. This configuration leads to a wide variety of available energy levels for electrons to move about in, so in the presence of electromagnetic radiation such as light, a variety of frequencies are readily emitted or absorbed. Thus transition metals tend to be very colorful, and each contributes different colors to different compounds.

Other Word Forms

• metal-like adjective
• metallike adjective
• unmetaled adjective
• unmetalled adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of metal¹

1250–1300; Middle English (< Old French ) < Latin metallum quarry, metal < Greek métallon mine, quarry, metal

Word History and Origins

Origin of metal¹

C13: from Latin metallum mine, product of a mine, from Greek metallon

Example Sentences

The company had planned to build a refinery at the Saltend Chemicals Plant near Hull, which would have processed the raw materials into metals used to create powerful magnets.

Read more on BBC

Gold can’t go up forever, and there are some signs that the precious metal might be due for a respite.

Read more on Barron's

The precious metal has surged some 15% over the past month with shallow pullbacks of less than 2%, which suggests robust demand from both institutional and retail investors.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

"The metal is heated up until it becomes just soft enough so that it can be shaped mechanically by hammer blows," Smye said.

Read more on Science Daily

With names like dysprosium, neodymium and cerium, rare earths are a group of 17 heavy metals that are abundant throughout the Earth's crust.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• alloy 
• hardware 
• ingot 
• mineral 
• ore