Meanings
nounproto-metal (plural proto-metals)
plural proto-metals
- obsoletechemistryA supposed finer form of a metal, associated with high temperatures and spectral lines similar to those observed in stars.
Origin
proto- + metal, coined by Norman Lockyer.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
proto-metal. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/proto-metal
MLA
“proto-metal.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/proto-metal. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “proto-metal,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/proto-metal.
Source: proto-metal on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.