metal
noun · adjective · verb
Simple meaning
Any of a number of chemical elements in the periodic table that form a metallic bond with other metal atoms.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
mehtuhlSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈmɛtəl
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
Any of a number of chemical elements in the periodic table that form a metallic bond with other metal atoms; generally shiny, somewhat malleable and hard, often a conductor of heat and electricity.
Crushed rock, stones etc. used to make a road.
UKin the plural
The rails of a railway.
The effective power or calibre of guns carried by a vessel of war.
Any material with similar physical properties as those chemical elements, especially as a combination of several of them, such as an alloy.
heading
Chemical elements or alloys, their ores, and the mines where their ores come from.
adjective
Having the emotional or social characteristics associated with metal music; brash, bold, frank, unyielding, etc.
verb
To make a road using crushed rock, stones etc.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- A1 · Beginner (estimated)
- Frequency
- Very Common
- Typical Use
- Varies by meaning
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: Any of a number of chemical elements in the periodic table that form a metallic bond with other metal atoms; generally shiny, somewhat malleable and hard, often a conductor of heat and electricity.
Used this way, metal is a specialist word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It stays understated rather than dramatic. This is a scientific use: it names something precisely within a field of study, so it appears in research and teaching more than in conversation.
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Specialist/technical
- Intensity
- Mild
- How common
- Specialized
- Connotation
- Clinical and technical
- Usage feel
- Technical and specialized
Where it naturally appears
- Science
- Academic writing
- Technical/specialist writing
Usage note
In general conversation this sense usually needs explaining — outside its field, people reach for a plainer word.
Nearby words
- metallic element , rarer, so it draws attention
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use metal
- “The sculpture was crafted from recycled scrap metal.”noun
Share your sentence
Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
Golf wood with a metal head instead of the traditional wooden head.
Screw made of metal.
Saw used with one hand for cutting metal.
A thin coating of metal deposited on a surface.
Coins collectively.
A glove of armored leather.
Related words
Connected by subject or meaning, not by word formation.
Containing or made of or resembling or characteristic of a metal.
The science and technology of metals.
The activity of making things out of metal in a skillful manner.
Household articles made of metal (especially for use at table).
The metal parts of something.
Acid dye in which the negative ion contains a chelated metal atom.
Related Words
Connected to the same idea, not synonyms.
More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Synonyms
noun
Sense: any of a number of chemical elements in the periodic table that form a metallic bond with other metal atoms
Ask Vocabaura
Understand the word your way.
What Does It Mean Here?
Words can change meaning depending on context.
Use it yourself
Keep learning “metal” by choosing the kind of practice you need next.
- Practice sentence writingWrite sentences with vocabulary and get instant feedback.
- Practice in contextAnswer short vocabulary questions drawn from real situations.
- Review vocabularyTest your recall and strengthen words over time.
- Practice typingType vocabulary in short rounds that draw from words you've learned and saved.
Want to type words like this one without looking at the keyboard? Each typing round draws from words you've learned, saved or need to review. Follow the free Learn to Type lessons and type your own vocabulary with confidence.
Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.