-
- To save this word, you'll need to log in.
nonmetal
noun
non·met·al
ˌnän-ˈme-tᵊl
: a chemical element (such as boron, carbon, or nitrogen) that lacks the characteristics of a metal
Examples of nonmetal in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Coal workers make up a declining share of American miners, about 55,000 people nationwide, compared with nearly 200,000 workers mining metal, nonmetal, stone, sand and gravel.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY, 16 Apr. 2024
Federal officials are also pushing for these limits in other sectors, among metal and nonmetal operators and aiming to establish medical surveillance programs for periodic health exams at no cost to miners.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY, 16 Apr. 2024
All other mines, collectively known as metal/nonmetal mines (MNM), have two years.
—Howard Berkes, NPR, 16 Apr. 2024
The rule, published in the Federal Register this month, cuts the permissible exposure limit for silica dust from 100 to 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air for an 8-hour shift in coal, metal and nonmetal mines such as sand and gravel.
—Leah Willingham and Matthew Daly, Anchorage Daily News, 25 July 2023
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of
Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback
about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
circa 1864, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near nonmetal
Cite this Entry
“Nonmetal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nonmetal. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
nonmetal
noun
non·met·al
(ˈ)nän-ˈmet-ᵊl
: an element (as carbon or nitrogen) that lacks the characteristics of a metal
Medical Definition
nonmetal
noun
non·met·al
(ˈ)nän-ˈmet-ᵊl
: a chemical element (as boron, carbon, or nitrogen) that lacks the characteristics of a metal and that is able to form anions, acidic oxides, acids, and stable compounds with hydrogen
More from Merriam-Webster on nonmetal
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about nonmetal
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share