stainless steel

American  

noun

1. alloy steel containing 12 percent or more chromium, so as to be resistant to rust and attack from various chemicals.

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stainless steel British  

noun

1. 1. a type of steel resistant to corrosion as a result of the presence of large amounts of chromium (12–15 per cent). The carbon content depends on the application, being 0.2–0.4 per cent for steel used in cutlery, etc, and about 1 per cent for use in scalpels and razor blades

   2. ( as modifier )

      stainless-steel cutlery

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stainless steel Scientific  

/ stān′lĭs /

1. Any of various alloys of iron that contain chromium, nickel, and small amounts of carbon. They may also contain minor amounts of other elements, such as molybdenum. Stainless steel is resistant to rusting and corrosion.

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Etymology

Origin of stainless steel

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

stainless steel

Behind the bar, yeast busily converted sugars into alcohol inside giant stainless steel fermentation tanks.

From Salon ● Oct. 4, 2026

Over the last two decades, this has involved the use of stainless steel springs to gradually widen the gap, giving space for the brain to develop and for new bone to grow.

From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026

Spent nuclear fuel is stored in lead and stainless steel casks and bolted into concrete at a specially built pad at Diablo.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026

Even 254SMO super stainless steel, considered a benchmark chromium based corrosion resistant alloy with excellent resistance to pitting in seawater, faces this problem.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 11, 2026

The mill itself is a maze of stainless steel pipes, valves, filters, and tanks.

From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan