Steel

/stil/ noun

Definition

A very strong metal made mostly from iron and a small amount of carbon, used in buildings, tools, and machines.

Etymology

From Old English “stēl,” referring to hardened iron. The idea of specially treated iron developed into what we now call steel, a carefully controlled alloy.

Kelly Says

Steel is basically ‘upgraded iron’—a tiny bit of carbon makes it dramatically stronger and more useful. Our skyscrapers, cars, and bridges literally depend on this tiny chemical tweak.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.