base metal

noun

Any metal at the lower end of the electrochemical series that oxidizes readily.

Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

nounbase metal (countable and uncountable, plural base metals)

plural base metals

  1. countableuncountablechemistryAny metal at the lower end of the electrochemical series that oxidizes readily.
  2. countableuncountableengineeringThe metal to be welded (rather than that used to weld).
  3. countableuncountableA common or inexpensive metal.
    1. countableuncountablealchemyone that was hoped to be transmuted into a precious metal.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
unnoble

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 賤金屬 /贱金属, 卑金屬 /卑金属
  • 賤金屬 /贱金属metal at the lower end of the electrochemical series
  • 卑金屬 /卑金属 (bēijīnshǔ)metal at the lower end of the electrochemical series
  • 母材metal to be welded
  • 基材metal to be welded
  • 賤金屬 /贱金属common or inexpensive metal
  • 普通金屬 /普通金属 (pǔtōng jīnshǔ)common or inexpensive metal
Finnish epäjalo metalli, perusmetalli
  • epäjalo metallimetal at the lower end of the electrochemical series
  • perusmetallimetal to be welded
  • perusmetallicommon or inexpensive metal
French métal de base, métal de base
  • métal de basemetal at the lower end of the electrochemical series
  • métal de basecommon or inexpensive metal
Polish metal nieszlachetny, metal nieszlachetny
  • metal nieszlachetnymetal at the lower end of the electrochemical series
  • metal nieszlachetnymetal to be welded
  • metal nieszlachetnycommon or inexpensive metal
Cite this entry
APA

base metal. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/base%20metal

MLA

“base metal.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/base%20metal. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “base metal,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/base%20metal.

Source: base metal on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.