ferric oxide

noun

: the red or black oxide of iron Fe2O3 found in nature as hematite and as rust and also obtained synthetically and used especially in magnetic materials, as a pigment, and for polishing

Examples of ferric oxide in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web What’s more, the nanoscale particles could be made from readily available, inexpensive minerals, such as ferric oxide and gamma manganese dioxide for the anode and cathode materials, respectively. IEEE Spectrum, 24 Dec. 2023 Two irons and three oxygens make ferric oxide, or Fe2O3—a complete picture that’s hard to pull apart. Matthew Hutson, The New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2021 So, all in all, Mars is red because of hematite, which is a red form of ferric oxide. Ethan Siegel, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2021 The greatest elevations occur in the ferric oxide-rich Tharsis region, but in the lowlands to the east of it, the abundances of ferric oxides plummets. Ethan Siegel, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2021 And the worldwide shortage of gamma ferric oxide has brought tape production to a crawl. David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, 11 Oct. 2019 The team also found that the asteroid’s chemistry was dominated by compounds called ferric oxides and phyllosilicates, which had never been seen before on Kuiper belt objects. New York Times, 10 May 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ferric oxide.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1851, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ferric oxide was in 1851

Dictionary Entries Near ferric oxide

Cite this Entry

“Ferric oxide.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ferric%20oxide. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

ferric oxide

noun
: the red or black oxide of iron found in nature as hematite and as rust

Medical Definition

ferric oxide

noun
: the red or black oxide of iron Fe2O3 found in nature as hematite and as rust and also obtained synthetically and used as a pigment and for polishing
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