What's "Full Metal"?

[JTLauder]

What does "Full Metal" mean?
There's...
Full Metal Alchemist
Full Metal Panic
Full Metal Jacket

It probably means something in Japanese that has no equivalent translation in English?

[Infinity Chameleon]

With Japanese language and sudden appearances of English words, don't be surprised to learn that some of them were put in just because they liked the sound.

As for the Kubrick movie, "full metal jacket" refers to types of ammunition used by the military.

[Chou Blaster]

Full Metal Jacket is a American film. In that film, it example dthe round GOmer used to shot the drill Sarge, and himself.

Full Metal I guess means metal eleemnts.

FUll metal Alchemist; He has cyborg metallic limbs, and can perform alchemy on Metal (Liek building,repairing Al's suit, and the ALchemy to his arm.)

Relaly in FUll Metal ALchemist, their title gives away waht Alchemy they do.

Full Metal; His transformation wiriting, is in his metal arm.

Armstrong: His transformation circles are in his gloves, so he need sto his muscle/punches to turn on his powers.

Flame; Has spark making gloves, then Alchemize's gloves into epxlsoions.

Have no diea as to Panic though.

[Melchior]

Well, from a wikipedia source:

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full metal jacket bullet:
A full metal jacket bullet (or FMJ) is a bullet that is encased in a copper-coated steel or gilding metal jacket. The jacket prevents deformation of the bullet in the barrel or feed mechanism, from dirt overpressures or damage outside the gun. This reduces misfires. The jacket also prevents fragmentation, and the coating helps prevent damage to the gun barrel.

FMJ ammunition was introduced ostensibly for humanitarian reasons, as the Hague Convention of 1899 prohibits the use of expanding or fragmenting bullets in warfare. (It is commonly but incorrectly stated that this prohibition is in the Geneva Conventions.)

They have the advantage in warfare that they often injure their target rather than kill outright, creating a casualty that needs to be cared for, rather than a corpse. In this way, FMJ bullets can be more effective at consuming an enemy's resources than fragmenting bullets, yet the outcome for the victim is usually the same: death (or at least long-term removal from the field of battle, which is close to equivalent in military terms). Furthermore, because the bullet does not expand, FMJ bullets are much more effective at armor-piercing than hollow point bullets.
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Stanely Kubrick movie of the name features that type of bullet.

Full Metal Panic, as a parody of war, took the beginning part of that title, and changed Jacket to Panic in order to show a more light hearted tone. The giant robots are another reason the creator probably went with the full metal bit.

As Chou Blaster stated, "Phrase" Alchemist refers to the alchemist's preferred way of working. Full Metal likes manipulating his arm, and his greatest work so far is putting his brother's soul into a suit of armor. Armstrong, the Strong Arm Alchemist, uses his fists, etc...

[Kevinroc]

Fullmetal Panic revolves around a mercenary named Sousuke Sagara who has to watch over a girl named Kaname Chidori. The series features realistic weapons like guns but also has giant robots.

[Scubbily]

FMJ bullets are used for armor piercing. It just creates more damage.