Where does “metal” come from?
Metal comes from Middle English metal, from Old French metal, from Latin metallum, from Ancient Greek μέταλλον, derived from the verb μέταλλευειν meaning to mine or quarry.
metal (English): "Chemical elements or alloys, and the mines where...
Definitions
- "Chemical elements or alloys, and the mines where...
Ancestry of “metal”, step by step
metal traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via French métal
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | métal | metal |
| 2 | German | metall | metal |
| 3 | Italian | metallo | metal |
| 4 | Spanish | metal | metal |
| 5 | Old Spanish | metal | metal |
| 6 | Old French | métal | metal material |
| 7 | Latin | metallum | metal; precious metals, especially gold or... |
| 8 | Ancient Greek | μέταλλον | A mine, quarry, or salt pit; metal |
| 9 | Ancient Greek | μέταλλευειν | to mine, quarry |
via Middle English metal
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | metal | metal class of elements |