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fer

iron (metal)

noun FEHR Less Common
Home & Lifestyle Materials

Also means

iron (for clothes)

Usage Note

Fer can refer to the metal iron (pont en fer, 'iron bridge') or to a clothes iron (fer à repasser). The idiom battre le fer pendant qu'il est chaud ('strike while the iron is hot') is common. Fer à cheval means 'horseshoe'. The chemical symbol Fe derives from Latin ferrum, the same root.

Examples

"Il a repassé sa chemise avec le fer."

Natural Translation

He ironed his shirt with the iron.

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