Iron Age
Americannoun
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the period in the history of humankind, following the Stone Age and the Bronze Age, marked by the use of implements and weapons made of iron.
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(lowercase) the present age, following the bronze age; the last and worst of the four ages of the human race, characterized by danger, corruption, and toil.
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(lowercase) any age or period of degeneracy or wickedness.
noun
noun
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The period in cultural development succeeding the Bronze Age in Asia, Europe, and Africa, characterized by the introduction of iron metallurgy. In southeastern Europe and the Middle East the beginning of the Iron Age is generally dated to around 1200 bce, with later dates for other parts of Europe and the other continents. Although not as hard or durable as bronze, iron is a more abundant resource, and the Iron Age saw a rapid expansion of metalworking wherever the technology was introduced.
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See Note at Three Age system
Etymology
Origin of Iron Age
First recorded in 1585–95
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
And that's where three Iron Age pigs, and later cattle and ponies, will help revitalise this site.
From BBC
The composition matched a copper-zinc-tin-lead alloy characteristic of the Iron Age and later periods.
From Science Daily
There’s a whole lot more going on than a hearty appreciation of sheep, interlaced, rolling hills and Iron Age forts.
From Salon
There have been human settlements on Shuna, one of the Slate Islands, for at least 4,500 years, evidenced by Stone and Iron Age burial mounds and ruined farms and houses.
From BBC
Archaeologists have helped uncover one of the "largest and most important" Iron Age finds in the UK.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.