Steelmaker

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A person or business that manufactures steel from iron ore, scrap, or other raw materials
2. Someone who runs or works in a company producing steel in large industrial quantities
3. An individual or firm engaged in the production of steel for construction, machinery, and manufacturing

Etymology: "Steelmaker" is a plain compound: "steel" joined to "maker," the old English-rooted agent noun for someone or something that makes a thing. "Steel" comes from Old English "stēli," and "maker" descends from Old English "macere," a word tied to the verb "make," which has been in use since Old English. Putting the two together produces a name for a person who produces steel. The sense of the word has widened over time. A steelmaker was originally a craftsman or worker who produced steel, but in modern usage it commonly refers to the company that runs the large plants where steel is manufactured, which is the meaning given here. The shift from person to firm is an ordinary extension, so the word's history is largely that of its two parts.

Synonyms: steel producer