ferr-

1. variant of ferri- and ferro- before a vowel.

Example Sentences

Helen Aguirre Ferr, director of the White House office of media affairs, said Trump had decided to speak out after he learned about “this heartbreaking situation.”

From Seattle Times

Top restaurants are spinning off modern siblings: Tokuyoshi, from Massimo Bottura’s former sous chef at Osteria Francescana; Rebelot and the brand-new Contraste from Pont de Ferr.

From New York Times

The current District 27 representative, Democrat Ferr Smith of Carthage, did not seek re-election.

From Washington Times

Leurs cheveux �taient noirs et ferr�s avec de l'or et leurs robes d'une grande magnificence.

From Project Gutenberg

Ferret, fer′et, n. a half-tamed albino variety of the polecat, employed in unearthing rabbits.—v.t. to drive out of a hiding-place: to search out cunningly:—pr.p. ferr′eting; pa.p. ferr′eted.—n.

From Project Gutenberg

Words That Use ferr-

What does ferr- mean?

Ferr- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “iron.” Ferr- is occasionally used in scientific terms, especially in chemistry.

Ferr- comes from Latin ferrum, meaning “iron.” The Greek equivalent was sídēros, “iron,” which is the source of the combining form sider–, as in siderite.

What are variants of ferr-?

Ferr- is a variant of both ferro- and ferri-, which lose their -o- or -i- when combined with words or word elements beginning with vowels. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use articles for ferro- and ferri-.

Examples of ferr-

One example of a scientific term that features the form ferr- is ferrite, “a compound, as NaFeO₂, formed when ferric oxide is combined with a more basic metallic oxide.” Essentially, ferrite is a kind of hard substance that contains iron.

The ferr- part of the word means “iron.” The suffix -ite has various meanings, including as a way to name minerals and fossils. Ferrite literally means “iron mineral.”

What are some words that use the combining form ferr-?

• ferrate
• ferredoxin
• ferreous
• ferrous

What are some other forms that ferr– may be commonly confused with?

• facio-
• fascio-

Not every word that begins with the exact letters ferr-, such as ferry or ferret, is necessarily using the combining form ferr- to denote “iron.” Learn where ferret comes from at our entry for the word.

Break it down!

The suffix -ous means “possessing, full of.” With this in mind, what is an everyday definition of the word ferrous?