BASE METAL

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does base metal mean? 

• BASE METAL (noun)
  The noun BASE METAL has 1 sense:

1. a metal that is common and not considered precious

  Familiarity information: BASE METAL used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• BASE METAL (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A metal that is common and not considered precious

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Context example:

lead, iron, copper, tin, and zinc are base metals

Hypernyms ("base metal" is a kind of...):

metal; metallic element (any of several chemical elements that are usually shiny solids that conduct heat or electricity and can be formed into sheets etc.)

 Context examples 

It may hate him who dares to scrutinise and expose—to rase the gilding, and show base metal under it—to penetrate the sepulchre, and reveal charnel relics: but hate as it will, it is indebted to him.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)