Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “non-metal” come from?

non-metal (English) comes from English metal, from French métal, from German metall, from Italian metallo, from Spanish metal, from Old Spanish metal, from Old French métal, from Latin metallum — to mine, quarry.

non-metal (English): Alternative form of nonmetal

Definitions

  1. Alternative form of nonmetal

Ancestry of “non-metal”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishmetal"Chemical elements or alloys, and the mines where...
2Frenchmétalmetal
3Germanmetall—
4Italianmetallometal
5Spanishmetalmetal
6Old Spanishmetalmetal
7Old Frenchmétal—
8Latinmetallummetal; precious metals, especially gold or...
9Ancient GreekμέταλλονA mine, quarry, or salt pit; metal
10Ancient Greekμέταλλευεινto mine, quarry
Every word from Ancient Greek μέταλλευειν →