n.
Pronunciation: ' me-t ə l
Function: noun
Usage: often attrib
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