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
- 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
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.
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
For her sit-down with Shepherd, Huger was styled in a formfitting burnt orange dress, metallic cuffs and a chic bob.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 13, 2026
The approach relies on a specially engineered nonlinear metasurface made from precisely arranged metallic nanostructures.
From Science Daily • Feb. 4, 2026
The matron’s voice sounded as metallic as the squealing door.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
