metal
Pluralmetals
Pluralmetals
Formsmetals
- 1A hard, usually shiny material such as iron, gold, copper, or steel that heat and electricity pass through easily.
Like steel, which is iron mixed with a little carbon to make it stronger.
Steel is a strong metal used to build cars and bridges.
Bronze is a metal made by mixing copper and tin.
UsageA metal box is made of metal. A metallic color only looks like metal.
- 2A loud, heavy kind of rock music with strong drums and rough, distorted guitar sounds.
Like rock music turned up louder and heavier.
He listens to metal when he works out.
Their new album is pure metal, loud and fast.
Note
- 3Sounding like heavy rock music, with hard drums and rough, distorted guitar.
Like a song as loud and heavy as a thunderstorm.
That opening riff sounds really metal.
The whole song felt dark and metal.
UsageSay a metal song, or it sounds metal.
Similarheavy
Note
Less common meanings
- 4Bold, fearless, and not afraid to be loud or direct.
Like being as bold and fearless as a superhero.
Her calm reply to the bullies was pretty metal.
Playing the whole game with a broken wrist was pretty metal.
UsageUsed for fun. You can say pretty metal or very metal.
Similarhardcore, badass, defiant, fearless
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- 5In astronomy, any chemical element heavier than hydrogen and helium.
Like calling everything except the two lightest gases 'metal,' even oxygen.
To an astronomer, oxygen is a metal.
Stars make metal as they burn through their fuel.
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- 6Crushed rock or small stones used to build the surface of a road.
Like the small stones spread out before a road is paved.
The workers spread fresh metal over the muddy track.
They poured a layer of metal before laying the pavement.
UsageSay a layer of metal or fresh metal.
Similargravel, aggregate, macadam, ballast
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- 7To build or cover a road with crushed rock and stones.
Like covering a dirt path with gravel so it's smooth and hard.
The crew will metal the lane before winter.
They plan to metal the muddy path so cars can use it.
UsageSpelled metaled in American English and metalled in British English.
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- 8What a person or thing is truly made of inside: their real character or strength.
Leonato. Well, neece, I hope to ſee you one day fitted with a husband. / Beatrice. Not till God make men of ſome other mettall then earth, would it not grieue a woman to be over-maſtred with a peece of valiant duſt?
1598, William Shakespeare, “Much Adoe about Nothing”Here, mettall means the basic stuff something is made of.UsageFor courage, write mettle (not
incorrect: metal).Similarmettle
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- 9
- 10A pit or mine dug into the ground to take out ore.
Note
- 11Rock dug from the ground that has usable metal inside it.
- 12On a coat of arms, one of the light colors: silver, white, or gold.
- 13Hot, melted glass that is ready to be blown or shaped.
- 14The airline that actually operates a flight, not just the one selling tickets under its name.
- 15The total gun power that a warship carries.
Showing meanings only.
Practice
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Origin
From Latin metallum (metal, mine), which came from Ancient Greek metallon (mine, quarry).
Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 4 facts
- English metal derives from Latin metallum, through Old French and Middle English. en.wiktionary.org
- Latin metallum means metal and mine. en.wiktionary.org
- Latin metallum derives from Ancient Greek metallon. en.wiktionary.org
- Ancient Greek metallon means mine and quarry. en.wiktionary.org