Mĕt'al-lūr'gy, n.

n. [Fr. métallurgie, It. metallurgia, Sp. metalurgia, from Gr. μεταλλουργός, working metals, from μετάλλων, metal, and the root ἔργειν, to work, whence ἔργον, work.] The art of working metals, comprehending the whole process of separating them from other matters in the ore, smelting, refining, and parting them; in a more limited and usual sense, the operation of obtaining metals from their ores.