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

The towering stainless steel rocket, standing taller than a 30 story building, ignited all 33 of its engines and climbed into the sky.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 11, 2026

Moving forward, the EV maker will sell just three new vehicles: the popular Model 3 and Model Y, and its low-volume stainless steel Cybertruck pickup.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026

He considered different shapes for the container -- like a square or even a star -- but thought it best to avoid having seams and joints, so a stainless steel cylinder won the day.

From Barron's ● Jul. 2, 2026

In August 2017, £660.80 was spent on a Jura glass coffee cup warmer, six Jura espresso cups and a stainless steel milk pipe, which attaches to a coffee machine.

From BBC ● May 25, 2026

She belched out a stainless steel canister—an old-fashioned lunch box thermos with a black plastic top.

From "The Sea of Monsters" by Rick Riordan