Ferous

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈfɪəɹəs/

Definitions

1. Pertaining to elements or compounds that incorporate iron as a vital part of their makeup
2. Relating to substances or compounds that include iron within their composition
3. Describing materials or chemical entities characterized by the presence of iron atoms

Etymology: The suffix here is "-ferous," which chemists and mineralogists use to mean "bearing" or "containing" a particular element or substance. It comes from the Latin "-fer," a combining form of "ferre," "to bear" or "to carry," paired with the English adjective ending "-ous." So a "ferrous" compound is one that carries iron, and "-ferous" can be attached to other element stems to make the same kind of description. The stem is easily confused with a different Latin root. "Ferus," meaning wild or untamed, is the ancestor of "fierce" and "feral," but "-ferous" does not come from that word. The two only look alike because both are rooted in Latin "fer-" forms, and the modern chemical sense grew from the "bearing" meaning instead.