metallic

American  

[muh-tal-ik] / məˈtæl ɪk /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or consisting of metal.

2. of the nature of or suggesting metal, as in luster, resonance, or hardness.

   metallic green; a harsh metallic sound.

3. Chemistry.

   1. (of a metal element) being in the free or uncombined state.

      metallic iron.

   2. containing or yielding metal.

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noun

1. Textiles.

   1. a yarn or fiber made partly or entirely of metal and having a metallic appearance.

   2. a fabric made of such a yarn or fiber.

metallic British  

/ mɪˈtælɪk /

adjective

1. of, concerned with, or consisting of metal or a metal

2. suggestive of a metal

   a metallic click

   metallic lustre

3. chem (of a metal element) existing in the free state rather than in combination

   metallic copper

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metallic Scientific  

/ mĭ-tăl′ĭk /

1. Relating to or having the characteristics of a metal.

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Other Word Forms

• intermetallic adjective
• metalleity noun
• metallically adverb
• metallicity noun
• multimetallic adjective
• semimetallic adjective
• unmetallic adjective
• unmetallically adverb

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."

Example Sentences

These ions were then converted into metallic silver, making the network visible under a microscope.

From Science Daily • Apr. 10, 2026

Guitarist and Harm’s Way co-founder Bo Lueders has died, the metallic hardcore band announced Thursday on social media.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

The iPod music player, at first available in metallic grey, quickly diversified into a whole spectrum of bright colours.

From Barron's • Mar. 29, 2026

It also “vibe scented” a horror movie, creating a fragrance, distributed at screenings, that “captures the chilling, damp, metallic stillness of a nightmare that won’t let you escape,” according to the film’s press materials.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026

My fingers itched with a rust-colored powder, and when I licked them, a dry, metallic taste curled the tip of my tongue.

From "When I Was Puerto Rican" by Esmeralda Santiago

Related Words

• golden
• silvery