The present invention relates to a composition for etching metal films, and more specifically, to an etchant composition comprising an oxidant, an etching controller, a chelating agent, an undercut inhibitor, a copper corrosion inhibitor, a residue remover and the balance of water, for collectively wet etching metal films used as a gate electrode and a data electrode within a thin film transistor for a flat display, particularly, a single-layered film or a multilayered film consisting of one or more materials selected from copper, molybdenum, titanium and a molybdenum-titanium alloy. The composition of the present invention inhibits the rapid reaction of an oxidant and a copper ion when applied to an etching process through the use of a novel chelating agent, thereby providing an etchant with excellent lifetime and stability, an etched metal film with a gentle slope angle, suitable control of CD loss, and a good etching profile inhibiting the residue of a lower molybdenum, titanium or molybdenum-titanium alloy film. In addition, if a volatilization inhibitor is further added, precipitate and foreign matter generation is greatly reduced in etching equipment, and thus it is possible to improve productivity with respect to etching equipment operation and to reduce failure rates.