nonmetallic

N1O1N1M3E1T1A1L1L1I1C3

adjective

Not metallic.

Similar
nonmetalmetalloid
Opposite
metallic
OriginEnglish metallic ← Middle English non- ← Old English nān- →
Less commonScrabble 15
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Meanings

nonmetallic1

adjectivenonmetallic (not comparable)

alternative non-metallic

  1. not comparableNot metallic.

    Boron is a nonmetallic element, and compounds of it, such as borax, have been used in products for decades, ranging from detergents to roach poison.

    2018 November 20, Wayne Drash, “Consumer group warns of ‘dangerous’ slime products and other hazardous toys”, in CNN

nonmetallic2

adjectivenonmetallic (not comparable)

alternative non-metallic

  1. not comparablechemistryOf, relating to, or having the properties of a nonmetal.

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectivenot containing or resembling or characteristic of a metal

Similar
nonmetalmetalloid
Opposite
metallic
Also see
ametallousmetalloidnonmetalunmetallic

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

nonmetallic · adjective

  1. Proto-Indo-European*né
  2. Proto-Germanic*ne
  3. Proto-Indo-European*ís?
  4. Proto-Indo-European*h₁óynos
  5. Proto-Germanic*ainaz
  6. Proto-Germanic*nainaz
  7. Proto-West Germanic*nain
  8. Old Englishnān
  9. Middle Englishnon
  10. Old Englishnān
  11. Old Englishnān-
  12. Middle Englishnon-
  13. Englishnon-
  14. Englishmetallic
  15. Englishnonmetallic

From non- + metallic.

Full word history & related roots →

nonmetallic · adjective

  1. Proto-Indo-European*né
  2. Proto-Germanic*ne
  3. Proto-Indo-European*ís?
  4. Proto-Indo-European*h₁óynos
  5. Proto-Germanic*ainaz
  6. Proto-Germanic*nainaz
  7. Proto-West Germanic*nain
  8. Old Englishnān
  9. Middle Englishnon
  10. Old Englishnān
  11. Old Englishnān-
  12. Middle Englishnon-
  13. Englishnon-
  14. Ancient Greekμέταλλον (métallon)
  15. Latinmetallum
  16. Old Frenchmeta
  17. Middle Englishmetal
  18. Englishmetal
  19. Englishnonmetal
  20. Englishnonmetallic

From nonmetal + -ic.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan no-metàl·lic, no-metàl·lic
  • no-metàl·licnot metallic
  • no-metàl·licchemistry: of, relating to, or having the properties of a nonmetal
Chinese Mandarin 非金属的
  • 非金属的not metallic
Greek αμέταλλος
  • αμέταλλος (amétallos)not metallic
Hungarian nemfémes
  • nemfémeschemistry: of, relating to, or having the properties of a nonmetal
Cite this entry
APA

nonmetallic. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nonmetallic

MLA

“nonmetallic.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nonmetallic. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “nonmetallic,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nonmetallic.

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