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• cast iron
  cast iron

  noun

  an alloy of iron, carbon, and other elements, cast as a soft and strong, or as a hard and brittle, iron, depending on the mixture and methods of molding.
• cast-iron
  cast-iron

  adjective

  made of cast iron.

cast iron

¹ American  

noun

1. an alloy of iron, carbon, and other elements, cast as a soft and strong, or as a hard and brittle, iron, depending on the mixture and methods of molding.

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cast-iron ² American  

[kast-ahy-ern, kahst-] / ˈkæstˈaɪ ərn, ˈkɑst- /

adjective

1. made of cast iron.

2. not subject to change or exception.

   a cast-iron rule.

3. hardy.

   a cast-iron stomach.

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cast iron British  

noun

1. iron containing so much carbon (1.7 to 4.5 per cent) that it cannot be wrought and must be cast into shape

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adjective

1. made of cast iron

2. rigid, strong, or unyielding

   a cast-iron decision

Etymology

Origin of cast iron¹

1655–65; cast (past participle of cast ( def. ) ) + iron

Origin of cast-iron²

First recorded in 1655–65

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cast iron cast-iron

The gathering coincided with the annual shareholder meeting of the Lodge Cast Iron pan company, which has been melting pig iron and recycled steel to form cast iron pans for 130 years.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026

The local authority said the bridge would be kept under close review, and may also close again if further deterioration of its cast iron girders is identified.

From BBC ● Jun. 20, 2026

Laura Cherkas gives Aurora Sanchez a cast iron pan.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 22, 2026

You’re not going home, anyway, you’re staying up all night at the facility wondering why your quarterback throws the ball like a cast iron pan.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 14, 2026

The long list of its major technological firsts includes cast iron, the compass, gunpowder, paper, printing, and many others mentioned earlier.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

In an era of public offerings and rich acquisitions, the Lodge family has kept a tight grip on the handle of its cast-iron business since 1896.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026

Victorian-era charms include brownstones, cast-iron storefronts and dozens of Tiffany stained-glass windows in churches.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026

Bryant said the deal would give "cast-iron protections to our key industries to speed up economic growth as part of our Plan for Change".

From BBC ● Dec. 15, 2025

Grab your cast-iron skillet — and go global The “rice casserole” may not be trending, but its close cousin — the “rice skillet” — has exploded on Pinterest boards and food blogs for a reason.

From Salon ● Sep. 23, 2025

We also brought over a cast-iron frying pan, ten packets of baker’s yeast, pinking shears, the head of a hatchet, a fold-up army latrine spade, and all told a good deal more.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver