ferrous

[ fer-uhs ]

/ ˈfɛr əs /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for ferrous on Thesaurus.com

adjective Chemistry.

of or containing iron, especially in the bivalent state.

COMPARE MEANINGS

Click for a side-by-side comparison of meanings. Use the word comparison feature to learn the differences between similar and commonly confused words.

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of ferrous

1860–65; <Latin ferr(um) iron + -ous

OTHER WORDS FROM ferrous

pre·fer·rous, adjective

Words nearby ferrous

ferronickel, ferrosilicon, ferrotitanium, ferrotungsten, ferrotype, ferrous, ferrous oxide, ferrous sulfate, ferrous sulfide, ferrous sulphate, ferrovanadium

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use ferrous in a sentence

You can wear the 300-lumen Snap Solo as a regular headlamp, but the light also comes off the band and attaches to a ferrous surface via a strong magnet—a feature that makes it twice as useful.
Four Fun, Useful Lights to Brighten Your Campsite|jeremyr|September 8, 2021|Outside Online
Mannar suggested ferrous fumarate, a compound widely used in iron tablets because the body absorbs it easily.
One man’s crusade to end a global scourge with better salt|Katie McLean|December 18, 2020|MIT Technology Review
It gave a bluish-black color with impure ferrous sulphate and a dark color with ferric chloride.
Some Constituents of the Poison Ivy Plant: (Rhus Toxicodendron)|William Anderson Syme
Exceedingly sensitive tests are known for the ferrous and the ferric ions.
The Elements of Qualitative Chemical Analysis, vol. 1, parts 1 and 2.|Julius Stieglitz

Perhaps the most instructive case of this kind, that we can study, is that of iron in ferrous and ferric salts.
The Elements of Qualitative Chemical Analysis, vol. 1, parts 1 and 2.|Julius Stieglitz
If the zinc sulphide were not the less soluble, it would be rapidly converted into the black ferrous sulphide.
The Elements of Qualitative Chemical Analysis, vol. 1, parts 1 and 2.|Julius Stieglitz
It is a comparatively easy matter to determine the relative solubility of zinc and ferrous sulphides.
The Elements of Qualitative Chemical Analysis, vol. 1, parts 1 and 2.|Julius Stieglitz

British Dictionary definitions for ferrous

ferrous

/ (ˈfɛrəs) /

adjective

of or containing iron in the divalent state; designating an iron (II) compound

Word Origin for ferrous

C19: from ferri- + -ous

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for ferrous

ferrous

[ fĕr′əs ]

Containing iron, especially iron with a valence of 2. Compare ferric.

ferrous

COMPARE MEANINGS

Origin of ferrous

OTHER WORDS FROM ferrous

Words nearby ferrous

Words related to ferrous

How to use ferrous in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for ferrous

Word Origin for ferrous

Scientific definitions for ferrous