metal precioso
Lemma Details
Translation: precious metal; noble metal
Part of Speech: noun phrase
Etymology: Comes from Latin 'metallum' (mine, quarry, metal) and 'pretiosus' (valuable, costly). The term refers to rare metallic elements that have high economic value due to their scarcity, luster, and resistance to corrosion. The English cognate 'precious metal' follows the same semantic construction, with both languages preserving the Latin roots.
Commonality: 60%
Guessability: 90%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
El oro y la plata son metales preciosos muy valorados en joyería.
Gold and silver are precious metals highly valued in jewelry.
Los inversores compran metales preciosos como protección contra la inflación.
Investors buy precious metals as protection against inflation.
México es uno de los principales productores de metales preciosos en el mundo.
Mexico is one of the main producers of precious metals in the world.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'metal precioso' as 'precious metal' - the words are cognates and follow the same order in both languages.
- Associate 'precioso' with 'precious' and 'price' - things that are precious often have a high price.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Cultural Context
In Spanish-speaking countries, particularly those with mining histories like Mexico, Peru, and Bolivia, precious metals have significant cultural and economic importance. Gold (oro) and silver (plata) have been central to the economies since colonial times, and terms related to precious metals appear frequently in economic discussions, jewelry contexts, and historical narratives.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: 'Metal precioso' refers to valuable metals like gold and silver, while 'metal pesado' means 'heavy metal' and can refer either to dense metallic elements (often toxic) or to a genre of music.
Confused word:
El mercurio es un metal pesado tóxico para los humanos.
Mercury is a heavy metal toxic to humans.
Notes: In environmental contexts, some precious metals can also be heavy metals, but the terms emphasize different properties (value vs. density/atomic weight).
Mnemonic: 'Precioso' connects to 'precious' (valuable), while 'pesado' connects to 'peso' (weight).