Metallurgy derives from the Ancient Greek , , "worker in metal", from , , "mine, metal" + , , "work" The word was originally an alchemists term for the extraction of metals from minerals, the ending -urgy signifying a process, especially manufacturing: it was discussed in this sense in the 1797 Encyclopædia Britannica'.
In the late 19th century, metallurgys definition was extended to the more general scientific study of metals, alloys, and related processes. In English, the  pronunciation is the more common one in the United Kingdom. The  pronunciation is the more common one in the United States US and is the first-listed variant in various American dictionaries, including Merriam-Webster Collegiate and American Heritage'.