What does "ore" mean?
Ore: The native form of a metal, whether free and uncombined, as gold, copper, etc., or combined, as iron, lead, etc. Usually the ores contain the metals combined with oxygen, sulphur, arsenic, etc. (called mineralizers).
Additional senses
- 2.(Mining) A native metal or its compound with the rock in which it occurs, after it has been picked over to throw out what is worthless.
- 3.Metal; as, the liquid ore. [R.] Milton. Ore hearth, a low furnace in which rich lead ore is reduced; -- also called Scotch hearth. Raymond.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00