2 syllables: Me, tal. Stress on Me.
MET-uhl
/ˈmɛtəl/
Metal is pronounced MET-uhl (/ˈmɛtəl/). It has two syllables (Me-tal), with the stress on "Me". Metal is a solid material composed of metallic elements, typically hard, malleable, and conductive. In everyday use, it refers to substances like iron, steel, or aluminum, and to objects made from these materials. The term also appears in contexts like music (heavy metal) and chemistry (metal ions).
nounMetal is a solid material composed of metallic elements, typically hard, malleable, and conductive. In everyday use, it refers to substances like iron, steel, or aluminum, and to objects made from these materials. The term also appears in contexts like music (heavy metal) and chemistry (metal ions).
"The sculpture is made of bronze, a copper alloy that includes tin as a metal."
"That old kitchen pot is metal and will need to be polished."
"The ring is plated metal, not pure gold."
US/UK/AU pronunciation is MET-uhl with two syllables. IPA: US /ˈmɛtəl/, UK /ˈmɛt(ə)l/ (often with a lighter second syllable), AU /ˈmɛtəl/. Start with the first syllable: /ˈmɛ/ (mah-eh as in ‘bet’ but with more lax vowel), then /təl/ where the /t/ is released into a schwa-like /ə/ before an /l/. Keep the /t/ crisp and the second syllable unstressed. Audio examples: you can listen on Forvo or Pronounce for native speakers.
Two frequent errors: 1) Turning /t/ into a hard, alveolar stop with excessive release, producing “met-tall” or “met-ell.” 2) Reducing the second syllable to a full vowel without schwa, saying /ˈmiːtæɫ/ or /ˈmeɪtəl/. Correct by keeping the /t/ release clean and using a quick, neutral /ə/ in the second syllable: /ˈmɛ.təl/. Practice with minimal pairs.
US: clear /ˈmɛtəl/ with a full /ɛ/ in the first syllable and a light, unstressed /ə/ in the second. UK: often a more centralized or reduced second syllable, /ˈmetl/ or /ˈmɛt(ə)l/, with less vowel distinction in the second syllable. Australian: tends toward a compact second syllable and may have slightly lighter vowel quality in the first, still two syllables. Overall, rhoticity is not a factor here; the key difference is second-syllable vowel reduction and the strength of the /t/ release.
Two main challenges: 1) The mid-front vowel in /ˈmɛ/ sits between /e/ and /æ/, which can cause vowel length variation. 2) The /t/ can be unreleased or lightly released in fast speech, making /ˈmɛtəl/ sound like /ˈmɛt(ə)l/ with blending. The second syllable also contains a schwa that can be reduced or omitted in rapid speech. Focus on maintaining a clean /t/ and a subtle /ə/ before /l/.
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The word metal comes from the Latin metallum, meaning a mine or metal, from Greek metallon or metallos. The root metall- is found in many languages and typically denotes a mineral or mineral product. In English, metal appears in Middle English as metal, from Old French metal, from Latin metallum, originally meaning a mine, quarry, or mineral. The semantic shift from “mineral ore” to “a material of metallic composition” happened gradually as artisans distinguished metals by properties like hardness, conductivity, and malleability. By the 15th century, metal referred broadly to metallic substances used in tools and construction. The broader sense also entered chemistry and physics as the study of elements capable of metallic bonding. The modern sense includes substances ranging from iron and steel to nonferrous metals like aluminum and copper, and it also appears in phrases like “heavy metal” in music and “metalanguage” in linguistics.
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Help others use "Metal" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "Metal" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Metal" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Metal"
-tle sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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