Main Entry: ¹met·al

Pronunciation: \ˈme-t^əl\

Function: noun

Usage: often attributive

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

Date: 14th century

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