metal

¹met·al

noun, often attributive \ˈme-t^əl\

Definition of METAL

1

: any of various opaque, fusible, ductile, and typically lustrous substances that are good conductors of electricity and heat, form cations by loss of electrons, and yield basic oxides and hydroxides; especially : one that is a chemical element as distinguished from an alloy

2

a : mettle 1a

b : the substance out of which a person or thing is made

3

: glass in its molten state

4

a : printing type metal

b : matter set in metal type

5

: road metal

6

: heavy metal

Examples of METAL

1. a mixture of various kinds of metal
2. sculptors who work in metal and clay
3. a mixture of different metals

Origin of METAL

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin metallum mine, metal, from Greek metallon

First Known Use: 14th century

Other Chemical Engineering Terms

alkali, cation, decant, hygroscopic, isotope, oxidize, slurry, solute, viscous

Rhymes with METAL

fettle, kettle, mettle, nettle, petal, settle, shtetl

²metal

transitive verb

metaled or metalledmetal·ing or metal·ling

Definition of METAL

: to cover or furnish with metal

First Known Use of METAL

1617

Rhymes with METAL

fettle, nettle, settle

met·al

noun \ˈmet-^əl\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of METAL

: any of various opaque, fusible, ductile, and typically lustrous substances that are good conductors of electricity and heat, form cations by loss of electrons, and yield basic oxides and hydroxides; especially : one that is a chemical element as distinguished from an alloy

metal

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Any of a class of substances with, to some degree, the following properties: good heat and electricity conduction, malleability, ductility, high light reflectivity, and capacity to form positive ions in solution and hydroxides rather than acids when their oxides meet water. About three-quarters of the elements are metals; these are usually fairly hard and strong crystalline (see crystal) solids with high chemical reactivity that readily form alloys with each other. Metallic properties increase from lighter to heavier elements in each vertical group of the periodic table and from right to left in each row. The most abundant metals are aluminum, iron, calcium, sodium, potassium, and magnesium. The vast majority are found as ores rather than free. The cohesiveness of metals in a crystalline structure is attributed to metallic bonding: The atoms are packed close together, with their very mobile outermost electrons all shared throughout the structure. Metals fall into the following classifications (not mutually exclusive and most not rigidly defined): alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, transition elements, noble (precious) metals, platinum metals, lanthanide (rare earth) metals, actinide metals, light metals, and heavy metals. Many have essential roles in nutrition or other biochemical functions, often in trace amounts, and many are toxic as both elements and compounds (see mercury poisoning, lead poisoning).