From Middle English metal, a borrowing from Old French metal, from Latin metallum, itself a borrowing from Ancient Greek μέταλλον.

• IPA: /ˈmɛtəl/

metal

1. (heading) Chemical elements or alloys, and the mines where their ores come from.
   1. 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.
   2. Any material with similar physical properties, such as an alloy.
      • 1879, R[ichard] J[efferies], chapter 1, in The Amateur Poacher, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], →OCLC ↗:

        But then I had the flintlock by me for protection. ¶ There were giants in the days when that gun was made; for surely no modern mortal could have held that mass of metal steady to his shoulder. The linen-press and a chest on the top of it formed, however, a very good gun-carriage; and, thus mounted, aim could be taken out of the window […].

   3. (astronomy) An element which was not directly created after the Big Bang but instead formed through nuclear reactions; any element other than hydrogen and helium.
      • 2008, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Geochemical Society, Oxygen in the solar system, Mineralogical Society of Amer ISBN 9780939950805

        Thus, for the remaining elements, including oxygen, the solid phase appears to be important. In fact, at a metallicity of Z=0.02, and with a gas-to-dust ratio of 100, about half of the metals — including oxygen — are contained in the solid phase.

   4. Crushed rock, stones etc. used to make a road.
   5. (mining) The ore from which a metal is derived.
   6. (obsolete) A mine from which ores are taken.
      • 1660, Jeremy Taylor, Ductor Dubitantium, or the Rule of Conscience in All Her General Measures; […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: […] James Flesher, for Richard Royston […], →OCLC ↗:

        slaves […] and persons condemned to metals

2. (heraldry) A light tincture used in a coat of arms, specifically argent (white or silver) and or (gold).
3. Molten glass that is to be blown or moulded to form objects.
4. (music) A category of rock music encompassing a number of genres (including thrash metal, death metal, heavy metal, etc.) characterized by strong drum-beats and distorted guitars.
5. (figurative, archaic) The substance that constitutes something or someone; matter; hence, character or temper.

   Synonyms: mettle

   • 1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “Much Adoe about Nothing”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act II, scene i], page 104 ↗:

     Leonato. Well, neece, I hope to ſee you one day fitted with a husband. / Beatrice. Not till God make men of ſome other mettall then earth, would it not grieue a woman to be over-maſtred with a peece of valiant duſt?

6. The effective power or calibre of guns carried by a vessel of war.
7. (UK, in the plural) The rails of a railway.
8. (informal, travel, aviation) The actual airline operating a flight, rather than any of the codeshare operators.

   We have American Airlines tickets, but it's on British Airways metal.

• (antonym(s) of “any of a number of chemical elements in the periodic table that form a metallic bond with other metal atoms”): nonmetal

• metalling#Noun

• French: métal
• German: Metall
• Italian: metallo
• Portuguese: metal
• Russian: мета́лл
• Spanish: metal

• French: metal
• German: Metal
• Italian: metal
• Portuguese: metal
• Russian: ме́тал

metal

1. (music) Characterized by strong drum-beats and distorted guitars. [1970s and after]
2. Having the emotional or social characteristics associated with metal music; brash, bold, frank, unyielding, etc.
   • 2008, Lich King, “Attack of the Wrath of the War of the Death of the Strike of the Sword of the Blood of the Beast”, in Toxic Zombie Onslaught:

     The beast will destroy everything in his path
     With this song on the upcoming brawl
     It sure is a long one and tough to pronounce but
     It's the most metal title of all

• heavy metal

metal (metals, present participle metaling; simple past and past participle metaled)

1. To make a road using crushed rock, stones etc.