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noun · 1 syllable · /stiːl/

STEEL

What does "STEEL" mean?

A hard, strong alloy of iron and carbon used widely in construction and tools.

Meanings

  1. A tough, malleable alloy of iron and a small amount of carbon. The bridge was built from reinforced steel.
  2. Strength, firmness, or hardness of character. She faced the bad news with nerves of steel. figurative
  3. To prepare oneself mentally to face something difficult. He steeled himself for the interview.
  4. A rod for sharpening knives. The chef ran the blade along the steel. technical

Did you know?

  • What separates steel from ordinary cast iron is a sliver of carbon: keep it below about 2% and you get tough, workable steel; cross that line and the metal turns brittle cast iron.

Word origin

From Old English 'stiele', meaning hard metal, from Proto-Germanic 'stahla', related to a root meaning to stand firm or be rigid.

Remember it

STEEL keeps you STEADY: same 'st' root meaning firm and rigid - steel yourself and stand fast.

A little poem

Iron, then a breath
of carbon-and the soft thing
learns how not to bend.

haiku

Wordplay

  • I tried to write a tough poem about metal, but I had to steel myself for the inevitable puns.

What it teaches

Strength is rarely pure: it is iron taught by a little hardship to hold its shape under load.

Quick facts

What does STEEL mean?

A hard, strong alloy of iron and carbon used widely in construction and tools.

Is STEEL a valid word?

Yes — STEEL is one of the answer words in Wordul, the daily word game.

How many letters is STEEL?

STEEL has 5 letters and 1 syllable.

Where does STEEL come from?

From Old English 'stiele', meaning hard metal, from Proto-Germanic 'stahla', related to a root meaning to stand firm or be rigid.

What can STEEL teach us?

Strength is rarely pure: it is iron taught by a little hardship to hold its shape under load.

How players do

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