French word

fer

Pronunciation

IPA/fɛʁ/

Meaning

  • masculine nouniron

Example

Il a un bracelet en fer.

He has an iron bracelet.

Illustration for fer (iron)

More examples

Un banc en fer est lourd.

An iron bench is heavy.

Core concept

A hard, heavy metal shaped into rails, tools, cookware, and other durable objects, with rust appearing when it reacts with air and moisture.

Common phrases

  • plaque de fer

    iron plate

  • barre de fer

    iron bar

  • outil en fer

    iron tool

Similar words

métal: A hard material, including iron and other metals, used in tools and buildings.
acier: A strong metal made by processing iron for use in buildings and tools.

Definition in French

Désigne le métal utilisé pour fabriquer des rails, des outils et des ustensiles, ainsi que le matériau résultant de ce métal.

Word origin

French fer is inherited from Old French fer, which continues Latin ferrum, the Latin word for iron.

Usage tips

  • Fer is masculine, so the material appears as du fer or le fer, while compounds such as un fer à cheval specify an object made or shaped from it.

Related words

Word lists with this word