Pronunciation: [mˈɛtə͡l] (IPA) 
The word "metal" is spelled with the vowels /e/ and /a/, making it a two-syllable word. The first syllable is pronounced with the short /e/ vowel sound as in "bet" and the second syllable is pronounced with the short /a/ vowel sound as in "cat". The IPA phonetic transcription of this word is /ˈmɛtəl/. Metal is a solid material that is malleable, ductile and often shiny, and is widely used in construction, manufacturing, and industry.
Metal is a solid material with distinctive physical and chemical properties, characterized by its strength, malleability, ductility, and thermal conductivity. It is typically lustrous and opaque, displaying high reflectivity for certain wavelengths of light. Metals have a dense, crystalline structure, in which atoms are arranged in a regular pattern known as a lattice. They possess a high degree of metallic bonding, resulting from the sharing of valence electrons between adjacent atoms.
One of the defining features of metals is their ability to conduct heat and electricity due to the mobility of electrons within their lattice structure. This property makes metals essential for various technological applications, electrical wiring, and energy transmission systems. Additionally, they generally exhibit high tensile strength, allowing them to withstand forces and deformations without breaking or fracturing easily.
Metals can be categorized into different groups based on their properties, reactivity, and uses. Transition metals, for instance, are known for their stability and form various colored compounds. Alkali and alkaline earth metals, on the other hand, are highly reactive and are often found in ionic compounds. Some common metals include iron, copper, aluminum, gold, silver, and zinc.
Metals have been utilized by humans for centuries, serving as fundamental building blocks in infrastructure, construction, manufacturing, and decorative arts. Their versatility and wide range of properties make them indispensable in modern society, contributing to advancements in technology, transportation, medicine, and countless other fields.
• A well-known body, such as gold, silver, copper, iron, &c.; broken stones used for roads; broken glass for the melting-pot.
• See mettle.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "metal" originated from the Latin word "metallum", which can be traced back to the Greek word "metallon". In both Latin and Greek, "metallon" referred to mines and minerals, particularly metallic substances that could be extracted from the earth. Over time, the term evolved and was adopted into various languages, eventually becoming "metal" in English.
