Pronunciation: [fˈɛɹəs] (IPA) 
The word "ferrous" is spelled with two syllables: /ˈfɛr.əs/. The first syllable is pronounced with the short "e" sound, as in "set" or "men". The second syllable has the "uh" sound and is pronounced quickly. The spelling of "ferrous" comes from its Latin root, "ferrum", meaning iron. The prefix "ferro-" is often used in chemistry and physics to indicate an association with iron, such as in "ferromagnetic" or "ferroelectric".
Ferrous is an adjective used to describe a substance or element that contains iron. The term is derived from the Latin word "ferrum," which also means iron. It is typically used in the field of chemistry and materials science to designate the presence of iron in a compound, alloy, or other metallic material.
Ferrous materials are known for their magnetic properties, as iron itself is a highly magnetic substance. Due to its magnetic nature, ferrous materials are commonly used in industries that require magnetic fields, such as in the production of motors, transformers, and magnetic storage devices. In addition to their magnetic properties, ferrous materials are also highly ductile, malleable, and have excellent tensile strength.
The term "ferrous" is often used to differentiate iron-containing materials from non-ferrous materials, which do not contain iron. This distinction is important, as the properties and behavior of ferrous and non-ferrous materials can vary significantly.
It is worth noting that the term "ferrous" can also be used in a broader context to describe anything related to iron, such as ferrous sulfide (a compound made up of iron and sulfur) or ferrous oxide (commonly known as rust). In this sense, "ferrous" refers to the iron component in these compounds or substances.
1. Relating to iron, ferruginous. 2. Noting a salt containing iron in its lowest valence.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "ferrous" derives from the Latin term "ferrum", which means "iron". This Latin word is also the origin of the elemental symbol for iron, Fe. Therefore, "ferrous" is directly related to iron and is often used to describe chemical compounds or substances that contain or are related to iron.
