noun
- a nonmetal that in combination with a metal forms an alloy.
- an element that has both metallic and nonmetallic properties, as arsenic, silicon, or boron.
adjective
- of or relating to a metalloid.
- resembling both a metal and a nonmetal.
noun
- a nonmetallic element, such as arsenic or silicon, that has some of the properties of a metal
adjective Also: metalloidal (ˌmɛtəˈlɔɪdəl)
- of or being a metalloid
- resembling a metal
- An element that is not a metal but that has some properties of metals. Arsenic, for example, is a metalloid that has the visual appearance of a metal, but is a poor conductor of electricity; metalloids are generally semiconductors. The elements classified as metalloids are boron, silicon, germanium, arsenic, antimony, tellurium, and polonium. Metalloids can be viewed as a diagonal section on the Period Table, separating metals from nonmetals.
- A nonmetallic element, such as carbon, that can form alloys with metals.