noun
iron
EYE-uhn
noun
1
A common, silvery-grey metal that rusts and is attracted to magnets; the main ingredient of steel.
"The old gate was made of solid iron."
"You need iron in your diet to help your blood carry oxygen."
2
A small electrical appliance with a hot, flat base, used to smooth wrinkles out of clothes.
"She plugged in the iron to press her shirt before the interview."
verb
1
To smooth clothing or fabric using a heated iron.
"He ironed his shirt while listening to the radio."
adj
1
Extremely strong, tough, or unyielding, used figuratively.
"She ruled the company with an iron will."
How to Use Iron
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither the metal, the appliance for pressing clothes, or (as a verb) the act of pressing clothes with it.
Common mistake
"Iron out" figuratively means to resolve small remaining problems ("iron out the details"), not literally pressing anything.
Common pairings
iron a shirt
cast iron
iron will
wrought iron
Word Forms
ironed past tense, irons plural, irons singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “iron”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The old gate was made of solid _____.
Etymology
From Old English īsern/īren, from a very old Germanic and Celtic root for the metal, possibly linked to a Proto-Indo-European word for "blood" because of the metal's colour when rusted.