Slag
/slæɡ/noun
Waste matter separated from metal during smelting or refining.
Did you know?English slag is tied to Old Norse *slagg* and related Germanic forms meaning a mass of dross or refuse from metalworking, which is why it feels so raw and industrial.
Etymological Timeline
Old Norse
ON
slagg
“dross, refuse, waste from smelting”
Middle Low German
MLG
slagge
“dross, metal waste”
Middle English
English
slag
“waste matter from smelting or melting metal”
Modern English
English
slag
“residue separated from metal during processing”