Meaning & use
galvanized metal
Last updated
Meanings
noununcountable
Steel or iron that has been coated with zinc to prevent rust.
Grammar: Used as an uncountable noun: 'a sheet of galvanized metal' not 'a galvanized metal'.
Patterns
- sheet of galvanized metal
- galvanized metal roof
- made of galvanized metal
The shed was built with galvanized metal to withstand the rain.
Galvanized metal is commonly used for buckets and roofing.
adjectivebefore a noun
Made of metal that has been coated with zinc.
Grammar: Used before a noun: 'a galvanized metal pipe'. Not usually used after a verb.
Patterns
- galvanized metal pipe
- galvanized metal sheet
He replaced the old pipes with galvanized metal ones.
The galvanized metal fence will last for years.
Common combinations
- galvanized metal sheet
- They covered the roof with galvanized metal sheets.
- galvanized metal roof
- The barn has a shiny galvanized metal roof.
- galvanized metal bucket
- She filled the galvanized metal bucket with water.
- made of galvanized metal
- The trough is made of galvanized metal.
Synonyms and how they differ
- galvanized steel
- Galvanized steel is the more specific term when the base metal is steel; galvanized metal can refer to any metal coated with zinc.
- zinc-coated metal
- This is a descriptive synonym, but 'galvanized' is the standard term in industry.
Word family
- galvanize verb
- To coat metal with zinc, or to shock or excite someone into action.
- galvanization noun
- The process of coating metal with zinc.
Commonly confused: galvanized metal or galvanized?
galvanized metal vs galvanized
Galvanized alone can also mean 'shocked into action' or 'excited'; galvanized metal specifically refers to the zinc coating.
Practice
The old water tank was made of ___ to prevent rust.
Choose one answer.
The correct phrase is 'galvanized metal' (adjective + noun). 'Galvanizing metal' would mean metal that is currently galvanizing something, which is not the intended meaning. 'Galvanize metal' is a verb phrase and does not fit after 'of'. 'Galvanized metals' is plural and not used for a single tank.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “galvanized metal”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.