metallurgy

IPA/məˈtælədʒi/
KK[mˈɛtəlɚdʒi]IPA/ˈmetəlɜːrdʒi/

metallurgy — noun

1. the area of science concerned with the properties, structure, and practical use

1.nounC1
Definition

the area of science concerned with the properties, structure, and practical use of metals, including how they are extracted from ore and processed into useful materials

Example

Kasia studied metallurgy at university and now works at a steel factory.

collocation: study + metallurgy

The metallurgy of bronze helped ancient civilizations make stronger tools and weapons.

collocation: metallurgy of [specific metal]

Common collocations
  • extractive metallurgy
  • physical metallurgy
  • powder metallurgy
  • study metallurgy
  • degree in metallurgy
  • specialize in metallurgy
Synonyms
  • materials science

    broader field that also covers ceramics, polymers, and composites

  • metallography

    a narrower subfield focused on the microscopic structure and composition of metals

Grammar Patterns

metallurgy + verb

study of metallurgy

degree in metallurgy

Usage Note

Metallurgy is an uncountable noun. The field is often divided into extractive metallurgy (removing metals from their ores) and physical metallurgy (shaping and treating metals to give them desired properties).

Common Mistakes

Iron is a type of metallurgy.
Iron is a type of metal.
Metallurgy is the scientific study of metals, not the metals themselves.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Metallurgy is the broad scientific field covering the extraction, processing, and behavior of metals. Materials science is a wider discipline that also includes non-metals such as ceramics, polymers, and composites; think of metallurgy as materials science applied specifically to metals. Metallography is a sub-specialty that uses microscopes to examine the internal grain structure of metals. Metalworking, by contrast, is a practical craft of cutting, bending, and joining metals — it applies the knowledge that metallurgy provides. For instance, a metallurgist might develop a new alloy, a metalworker would then shape it into a car part.

materials science ↗metallography ↗metalworking ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • extractive metallurgy
  • physical metallurgy
  • powder metallurgy
  • ferrous metallurgy
  • non-ferrous metallurgy

Phrases

  • degree in metallurgy
  • department of metallurgy
  • specialize in metallurgy

Prepositions

  • in metallurgy
  • of metallurgy

Etymology

GreekLatinEnglish

Metallurgy comes from the Greek words 'metallon', meaning 'metal' or 'mine', and 'ergon', meaning 'work'. The term passed through Latin ('metallurgia') into English in the early 1700s, when the scientific study of metals began to separate from practical metalworking.

First known use

1665

1665, in the meaning defined above