metallic

metallic — adjective

1. Having a quality such as a sound, taste, colour, or smell that reminds you of me

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

Having a quality such as a sound, taste, colour, or smell that reminds you of metal — for example, the hard ringing noise of a dropped pan, the sharp flavour of a coin, or the reflective shine of a polished surface.

Example

When Adina dropped her keys, a loud metallic sound echoed through the hallway.

metallic sound — describes a hard, ringing noise like metal

Water from the old tap had a metallic taste, so Vivek stopped drinking it.

Common collocations
  • metallic sound
  • metallic taste
  • metallic smell
  • metallic shine
  • metallic sheen
  • metallic finish
  • metallic clang
  • metallic ring
Synonyms
  • brassy

    specifically describes a loud, harsh sound like brass instruments

  • tinny

    describes a thin, cheap metallic sound, usually negative

  • gleaming

    focuses on shiny appearance only, not sound or taste

  • silvery

    a softer, more pleasant metallic quality, often of sound or colour

Antonyms
  • dull

    lacking shine or brightness

  • muffled

    of sound, not sharp or ringing

Grammar Patterns

metallic + noun

be + metallic

Usage Note

This sense covers sensory qualities that resemble metal. It is commonly used with nouns referring to sound (metallic clang, metallic ring), taste (metallic flavour), smell (metallic odour), or appearance (metallic sheen, metallic finish).

Common Mistakes

The water has a metal taste.
The water has a metallic taste.
'metal' is a noun, not an adjective; use 'metallic' when describing a quality like metal.
The coin had a metalic shine.
The coin had a metallic shine.
'metallic' has two 'l's.

2. Made of metal or containing metal as a physical material — for example, a metall

2.adjectiveB1
Definition

Made of metal or containing metal as a physical material — for example, a metallic pipe in a wall, a metallic compound in chemistry, or metallic coins in your pocket.

Example

The old plastic pipes in the kitchen were replaced by strong metallic ones.

metallic ones — shows the adjective used after a noun to avoid repetition

For her art project, Min collected small metallic objects like bottle caps and keys.

Common collocations
  • metallic pipe
  • metallic object
  • metallic waste
  • metallic frame
  • metallic compound
  • metallic element
  • metallic alloy
  • metallic coin
Synonyms
  • metal

    often used informally as an adjective (a metal pipe), but 'metallic' is more precise

  • iron

    specifically made of the metal iron, narrower in meaning

Antonyms
  • plastic

    made of synthetic polymer, very common as an alternative material

  • wooden

    made of wood

  • non-metallic

    a direct opposite, used in technical contexts

Grammar Patterns

metallic + noun

Usage Note

This sense is almost always used before a noun (attributive position). Unlike sense 1, it does not describe a resemblance or sensory quality — the object literally contains or is made of metal.

Common Mistakes

The pipe is made of metallic.
The pipe is made of metal.
'metallic' is an adjective and cannot replace the noun 'metal' after 'made of.'
I bought a metalic chair at the market.
I bought a metallic chair at the market.
the correct spelling has two 'l's.

Word family

  • metal
    nounB1
  • metallurgy
    nounC1
  • metallurgist
    nounC1
  • metalliferous
    adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Metallic, brassy, tinny, gleaming, and silvery all describe things that remind you of metal, but each focuses on a different quality. Metallic is the broadest term — it can describe sound, taste, smell, or appearance. For example, water from an old pipe can have a metallic taste, while a dropped pan makes a metallic clang. Brassy is narrower and describes a loud, harsh sound like brass instruments playing loudly. Tinny suggests a thin, cheap metallic quality, often used for poor-quality speakers or lightweight metal objects. Gleaming applies only to appearance, specifically a bright, polished shine like silverware. Silvery is softer and more pleasant, used for a gentle, ringing sound or a pale, shiny colour. For general use, metallic is the safest choice. For sounds, pick brassy (loud and harsh) or tinny (thin and cheap). For appearance, gleaning works best for high shine, while silvery suits more delicate contexts.

metallic ↗brassytinnygleamingsilvery ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

  • faintly metallic
  • slightly metallic
  • distinctly metallic
  • strongly metallic

Etymology

GreekLatinFrenchEnglish

Metallic comes from the Latin word metallicus, meaning 'of or relating to metal,' which in turn comes from the Greek word metallikos, derived from metallon ('mine, quarry, metal'). The term entered English during the 1500s through French, and has been used ever since to describe both the composition and the sensory qualities of metal.