Rust
/rʌst/noun
A reddish-brown coating formed on iron or steel by oxidation; also, a reddish-brown iron oxide.
Did you know?English rust comes from a Germanic word for the reddish color of iron oxide, and its deeper relatives are tied to the same ancient root behind words for red and redness.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₁reudʰ-
“to be red, reddish”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*rustaz
“rust, reddish corrosion”
Old English
OE
rust
“rust; reddish-brown corrosion on metal”
Old High German
OHG
rost
“rust”
Middle English
English
rust
“rust; corrosion of iron”