Ore
/ɔːr/noun
A naturally occurring rock or sediment from which a metal or valuable mineral can be extracted profitably.
Did you know?Ore is tied to an ancient Germanic word for metal, and its deeper root is also connected to words for bronze and copper—materials that once felt almost magical because they could be pulled from stone.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₂ey-es-
“copper, bronze, or metal”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*aizą
“bronze, copper, metal”
Old English
OE
ār
“brass, bronze, copper; also honor, glory”
Middle English
ME
ore
“metal-bearing earth; later, ore”
Modern English
English
ore
“rock containing enough metal to be mined profitably”