a chemical element that is not a metal, for example carbon or oxygen. Non-metals are solids and gases and are not good conductors of heat and electricity.
Synonyms and related words
Types of chemical substance
acid
alkali
base
non-metal
noun countable chemistry
US
Word Forms
singular
non-metal
plural
non-metals
DEFINITIONS1
1
a chemical element that is not a metal, for example carbon or oxygen. Non-metals are solids and gases and are not good conductors of heat and electricity.