hydrometallurgy

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noun

The field of extractive metallurgy involving the use of aqueous chemistry for the recovery of metals from ores, concentrates, and recycled or residual materials.

OriginEnglish metallurgy ← Ancient Greek ῠ̔δρο- (hŭdro-) ← Proto-Hellenic *údōr →
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Meanings

nounhydrometallurgy (uncountable)
  1. uncountableThe field of extractive metallurgy involving the use of aqueous chemistry for the recovery of metals from ores, concentrates, and recycled or residual materials.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*wed-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*wódr̥
  3. Proto-Hellenic*údōr
  4. Ancient Greekῡ̆̔́δωρ (hū̆́dōr)
  5. Ancient Greekῠ̔δρο- (hŭdro-)
  6. Englishhydro-
  7. Englishmetallurgy
  8. Englishhydrometallurgy

From hydro- + metallurgy.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Irish hidri-mhiotaleolaíocht
  • hidri-mhiotaleolaíochtthe field of extractive metallurgy involving the use of aqueous chemistry
Italian idrometallurgia
  • idrometallurgiathe field of extractive metallurgy involving the use of aqueous chemistry
Russian гѝдрометаллурги́я
  • гѝдрометаллурги́я (gìdrometallurgíja)the field of extractive metallurgy involving the use of aqueous chemistry
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

“hydrometallurgy.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hydrometallurgy. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hydrometallurgy,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hydrometallurgy.

Source: hydrometallurgy on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.