metal
UK[ˈmetl]US[ˈmetl]
n
A solid material that is typically hard, shiny, malleable, fusible, and ductile, with good electrical and thermal conductivity (e.g., iron, gold, copper, steel).
n
Broken stone used for road surfaces or railway ballast.
n
Heavy metal or similar rock music.
Etymology
The word 'metal' entered English via Old French 'metal', which itself derived from Latin 'metallum', meaning "mine, quarry, metal." The Latin term was borrowed from Greek 'metallon' (μέταλλον), originally signifying a mine or quarry, and later the substance extracted from it. This Greek word may have its origins in an earlier verb meaning "to seek after or inquire," reflecting the process of searching for ore. The semantic journey thus moved from the general concept of a place of excavation to the specific, valuable material obtained from that place, solidifying its modern meaning as a category of elemental substances.
Analysis
The word 'metal' is a simplex loanword. Its core form is not productively segmented in modern English.
Examples
The bridge is constructed from a strong, lightweight metal.
They are laying fresh metal on the country road.
He prefers listening to classic metal from the 1980s.