Standard Lemma guide

nonmetallic

adj · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

adj

Meaning 1

Not metallic.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Of, relating to, or having the properties of a nonmetal.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Topics: chemistry, natural-sciences, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adjective

Meaning 3

not containing or resembling or characteristic of a metal

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • nonmetallic elements

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: nonmetal

Antonyms: metallic

History

Etymology

From non- + metallic.

Etymology tree English non- Ancient Greek μέτᾰλλον (métăllon)der. Latin metallum Old French metalbor. Middle English metal English metal English nonmetal Proto-Indo-European *-ikos Proto-Italic *-ikos Latin -icuslbor. Old French -iquebor. Middle English -ik English -ic English nonmetallic From nonmetal + -ic.

Across languages

Translations

6 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: no-metàl·lic — not metallic
  • Chinese Mandarin: 非金属的 — not metallic
  • Greek: αμέταλλος (amétallos) — not metallic
  • Gujarati: અધાત્વિક (adhātvik) — not metallic
  • Catalan: no-metàl·lic — chemistry: of, relating to, or having the properties of a nonmetal
  • Hungarian: nemfémes — chemistry: of, relating to, or having the properties of a nonmetal