ferrous
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
- preferrous adjective
Etymology
Origin of ferrous
1860–65; < Latin ferr ( um ) iron + -ous
Compare meaning
How does ferrous compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
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.
Existing evidence suggests supplements are a more effective way to replenish iron stores than dietary changes alone and ferrous sulfate is the most effective iron supplement for young children.
From Salon
Profits dived for 28 of 41 major industrial sectors during the period, with the ferrous metal smelting and rolling processing industry reporting the deepest slump at 90.5%.
From Reuters
That led Magee and his colleagues to identify it as a chondrite, a meteorite made mostly of rock, in contrast to the iron and nickel composition of so-called iron or “ferrous” meteorites.
From Scientific American
Conversely, Earth’s ferrous nucleus may have a metamorphosing surface, twisting any seismic waves that pierce it.
From New York Times
Iron ore prices have come under increased pressure in recent months due to persistent demand worries from top steel producer China, with the country's zero-COVID policy curtailing economic activity and weighing on ferrous markets.
From Reuters
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.
