metallurgy

noun

met·​al·​lur·​gy ˈme-tə-ˌlər-jē 

especially British mə-ˈta-lə-

: the science and technology of metals

metallurgical

ˌme-tə-ˈlər-ji-kəl 

adjective

metallurgically

ˌme-tə-ˈlər-ji-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

metallurgist

ˈme-tə-ˌlər-jist 

especially British mə-ˈta-lər-

noun

Examples of metallurgy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

As investigators probe whether maintenance, metallurgy or storage protocols played a role, the crash raises national questions about oversight, accountability and whether aviation has truly learned from past warnings. —Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2025

The very precise craft of metallurgy that forms the foundation of a skilled sword maker’s work was explained primarily through the how. —Literary Hub, 19 Nov. 2025

Rupert — a nephew of Charles I of England who commanded the Royalist forces in the English Civil War — spent his sunset years studying metallurgy and glassmaking in his laboratory at Windsor Castle. —Erica Klarreich, Quanta Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025

Beyond metallurgy, vanadium pentoxide catalyzes sulfuric acid production, and newer applications include vanadium redox flow batteries for large-scale energy storage. —Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 26 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin metallurgia, borrowed from Middle Greek metallourgía "mining," from metall- metall- + -ourgia -urgy, after Greek metallourgós "miner"

First Known Use

1665, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing metallurgy

• powder metallurgy

Kids Definition

metallurgy

noun

met·​al·​lur·​gy ˈmet-ᵊl-ˌər-jē 

: the science of obtaining metals from their ores and preparing them for use

metallurgical

ˌmet-ᵊl-ˈər-ji-kəl 

adjective

metallurgist

ˈmet-ᵊl-ˌər-jəst 

noun