Containing or made from iron, especially iron in its lower oxidation state.
From Latin 'ferrum' meaning 'iron,' with the suffix '-ous' meaning 'containing' or 'made of.' The suffix '-ous' comes from Latin and is used to make adjectives.
There's a hidden chemical joke: 'ferrous' means iron(II) while 'ferric' means iron(III)—the number refers to the oxidation state of the iron atom. Your blood's iron is ferrous iron bonded to proteins, which is why taking iron supplements can sometimes taste metallic!
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