Metal hip with variable carbon coating (4)
I believe the answer is:
zinc
'metal hip with variable carbon coating' is the definition.
'zinc' can be an answer for 'metal' (thesaurus). I'm unsure of the 'hip with variable carbon coating' bit.
'metal hip with variable carbon' is the wordplay.
'metal hip' becomes 'in' (I've seen this in other clues. I am not sure about the 'metal' bit.**).
'with' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'variable' becomes 'z' (algebra).
'carbon' becomes 'c' ('C' can be a synonym of 'carbon').
'in' after 'z' is 'zin'.
'zin'+'c'='ZINC'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for zinc that I've seen before include "Ingredient in brass" , "Bluish-white lustrous metallic element" , "Metallic element used in batteries" , "White metallic element, symbol Zn" , "Component of brass" .)