noun1. a. a malleable ductile silvery-white ferromagnetic metallic element occurring principally in haematite and magnetite. It is widely used for structural and engineering purposes. Symbol: Fe; atomic no: 26; atomic wt: 55.847; valency: 2,3,4, or 6; relative density: 7.874; melting pt: 1538°C; boiling pt: 2862°C
See also steel, cast iron, wrought iron, pig iron ▶ Related adjectives:
ferric, ferrous ▶ Related prefix:
ferro- b. (as modifier)
iron railings
2. any of certain tools or implements made of iron or steel, esp for use when hot
a grappling iron
a soldering iron
3. an appliance for pressing fabrics using dry heat or steam, esp a small electrically heated device with a handle and a weighted flat bottom
4. any of various golf clubs with narrow metal heads, numbered from 1 to 9 according to the slant of the face, used esp for approach shots
a No. 6 iron
5. an informal word for harpoon (sense 1)
6. US slang a splintlike support for a malformed leg
7. great hardness, strength, or resolve
a will of iron
8. astronomy short for iron meteorite
9. shooting iron
10. strike while the iron is hot
adjective11. very hard, immovable, or implacable
iron determination
12. very strong; extremely robust
an iron constitution
14. an iron fist
verb15. to smooth (clothes or fabric) by removing (creases or wrinkles) using a heated iron; press
16. (transitive) to furnish or clothe with iron
17. (transitive) rare to place (a prisoner) in irons
Word origin
Old English
irēn; related to Old High German
īsan, Old Norse
jārn; compare Old Irish
īarn