Steel Meaning
/stiːl/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounAn artificial metal produced from iron, harder and more elastic than elemental iron; used figuratively as a symbol of hardness.
nounAny item made of this metal, particularly including:, Bladed or pointed weapons, as swords, javelins, daggers.
Sentence Examples
Your name was given to us by Mr. Hayashi of Keiyo Steel Corporation.
Steel production of the year was the highest on record.
The concrete is reinforced with steel rods.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The skyscraper's frame was made of strong ____ that could resist earthquakes.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The modern bridge was constructed using high-quality ____ beams that are designed to last for many decades.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English stele, stel, from Old English stīele, from Proto-West Germanic *stahlī (“something made of steel”), enlargement of *stahl (“steel”), from Proto-Germanic *stahlą, from *stah- or *stag- (“to be firm, rigid”), from Proto-Indo-European *stak- (“to stay, to be firm”). Compare Scots stele, Yola stehli, German Stahl, Dutch staal, Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish stål.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Ocearium stæli."
— c. 725, Corpus Gloss., published 1431:
"Accearium steeli."
— c. 825, Epinal Gloss., section 49:
"Employeng the steell of his swerd the most best wyse that in hym was possible."
— c. 1473, Raoul Le Fèvre, translated by William Caxton, The Recuyell of the Historyes of Troye, section I:
"The purest part thereof [of iron ore] which in Latine is called Nucleus ferri, i. the kernell or heart of the yron (and it is that which we call steele)"
— 1601, Pliny, translated by P. Holland, Hist. World, II xxxiv xiv 514:
"Shall yron breake the Northren yron, and the steele?"
— 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Jeremiah 15:12:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The skyscraper's frame was made of strong ____ that could resist earthquakes.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The modern bridge was constructed using high-quality ____ beams that are designed to last for many decades.