adj
Uncommon
metallic
mih-TAL-ihk
Metallic (adj) means Made of, containing, or resembling metal, especially in appearance, sound, or taste. Example: “The car came in a metallic blue finish.”
adj
1
Made of, containing, or resembling metal, especially in appearance, sound, or taste.
"Assemblymember Bill Quirk (D-Hayward) has introduced a bill to address power outages caused by metallic film balloons when they come into contact with powerlines."
— , Reducing Power Outages Caused by Metallic Balloons is Focus of Bill Introduced Today (2018)
"The car came in a metallic blue finish."
"The medicine left a metallic taste in her mouth."
"The old pipe gave off a metallic clang when the hammer hit it."
How to use metallic
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishLooking, sounding, or tasting like metal, or actually made of it.
Common pairings
metallic paint
metallic taste
metallic sound
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like metallic.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- metallics
- Comparative
- more metallic
- Superlative
- most metallic
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The car came in a _____ blue finish.
Etymology
From Latin metallicus, from metallum ("metal").
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
nonmetallic
Related words
Rhymes for metallic
See all rhymes for metallic →Frequently asked questions
What does “metallic” mean?
The word “metallic” means made of, containing, or resembling metal, especially in appearance, sound, or taste. In plain terms, looking, sounding, or tasting like metal, or actually made of it.
How do you pronounce “metallic”?
“Metallic” is pronounced mih-TAL-ihk (/məˈtæl.ɪk/ in IPA).
How do you use “metallic” in a sentence?
Here is “metallic” used in a sentence: “The car came in a metallic blue finish.”
What is another word for “metallic”?
Words with a similar meaning to “metallic” include metalish, metallical and metallous.
What part of speech is “metallic”?
“Metallic” is an adjective.
Where does the word “metallic” come from?
The word “metallic” comes from Latin. From Latin metallicus, from metallum ("metal").
Is “metallic” a common word?
“Metallic” is an uncommon word in modern English.
What is the difference between metallic and metal?
Metal is typically a noun referring to the actual substance, such as iron or aluminium, or an adjective describing something literally made of that substance. Metallic is an adjective describing something that resembles metal in appearance, sound, or taste, without necessarily being made of metal itself, such as a metallic paint finish.
Why is metallic used to describe sounds?
Metallic is used to describe sounds that resemble the ringing, clanging, or harsh quality associated with metal striking metal, such as a "metallic screech." This usage draws on the distinctive acoustic qualities people associate with metal objects.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include metallic:
