wrought

American  

[rawt] / rɔt /

verb

1. Archaic except in some senses. a simple past tense and past participle of work.

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adjective

1. worked.

2. elaborated; embellished.

3. not rough or crude.

4. produced or shaped by beating with a hammer, as iron or silver articles.

wrought British  

/ rɔːt /

verb

1. archaic a past tense and past participle of work

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adjective

1. metallurgy shaped by hammering or beating

2. (often in combination) formed, fashioned, or worked as specified

   well-wrought

3. decorated or made with delicate care

Usage

Wrought is sometimes used as if it were the past tense and past participle of wreak as in the hurricane wrought havoc in coastal areas. Many people think this use is incorrect

Related Words

See worked.

Other Word Forms

• interwrought adjective
• self-wrought adjective
• superwrought adjective
• underwrought adjective
• unwrought adjective
• well-wrought adjective

Etymology

Origin of wrought

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English wroght, metathetic variant of worht, past participle of worchen “to work”; work