wrought iron.

A tough, malleable, low-carbon iron with fibrous slag, traditionally shaped while hot for gates, railings, and fittings.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• wrought-iron gate
• wrought-iron railing
• decorative wrought iron

On the page

The wrought-iron gate carried a pattern of curling leaves.

Years of paint had softened the details of the wrought iron.

She could see the sea through the hotel's wrought-iron railing.

Usage notes

Primary category: architecture. A specific material, not simply any metal that has been forged. It differs in composition and properties from cast iron and steel. Modern descriptions of decorative ironwork sometimes use wrought iron loosely for similarly styled steel fittings. Mass compound noun; no ordinary plural. Before a noun, usually hyphenated: wrought-iron.