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ferruginous

[fuh-roo-juh-nuh s]
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adjective
  1. Geology. iron-bearing: ferruginous clays.
  2. of the color of iron rust.
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Origin of ferruginous

1655–65; < Latin ferrūginus rust-colored, derivative of ferrūgin-, stem of ferrūgō iron-rust, derivative of ferrum iron; see -ous
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for ferruginous

Historical Examples

  • There are sandstones, shales, and grits, with ferruginous joints.

    British Borneo

    W. H. Treacher

  • The body is dusky indigo blue; the tail and abdomen are ferruginous.

  • The hind wings on this side are ferruginous, mottled with purple.

    The Butterfly Book

    William Jacob Holland

  • The hind wings are ferruginous on the under side, mottled with yellow.

    The Butterfly Book

    William Jacob Holland

  • On the under side the fore wings are fulvous, tipped with ferruginous.

    The Butterfly Book

    William Jacob Holland

British Dictionary definitions for ferruginous

ferruginous

adjective
  1. (of minerals, rocks, etc) containing irona ferruginous clay
  2. rust-coloured
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Word Origin

C17: from Latin ferrūgineus of a rusty colour, from ferrūgō iron rust, from ferrum iron
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
ferruginous in Medicine

ferruginous

(fə-rōō′jə-nəs)
adj.
  1. Associated with or containing iron.
  2. Having the color of iron rust; reddish-brown.
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The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.