ore English · revision 7823

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 725|origins=gem-pro *aiz}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /oɹ/, /o(ː)ɹ/; /ɔː/ ''(UK)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English or, oor, a merger of two Old English words:^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) [[inh|ang|ōra|t=ore, unworked metal]], related to Low German ūr, iron ore, Dutch [[m|nl|oer]] and Old Norse aurr, gravel,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) and ār, brass, copper, bronze,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from Proto-Germanic *aiz-, cognate with Old Norse eir, Gothic aiz and Latin [[m|la|aes|t=bronze, copper]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986)^(Collins 2023) Etymonline traces ār to PIE *aus-, gold.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Brass, in the form ār: about 725;^(OED 1989) a mineral containing metal worth mining, before 1000.^(OED 1989) Or, ore is probably before 1200, in the ''Ancrene Riwle''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The two Old English words were not fully assimilated until the 17th century: the result has the regular modern form of ār but the meaning of ōra.^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) In 1225 ore meant metal in general.^(OED 1989) A kind or quality of ore is from about 900.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 725 – ār, brass.^(OED 1989)

+ * before 1000 – ōra, ore.^(OED 1989)

+ * before 1200 – or, ore.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 17th century – the words fully merged.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[mineral]] or rock from which a [[metal]] or other valuable substance can be profitably extracted.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[orebody]]

+ * [[oreshoot]]

+ * [[ore dressing]]

+ * [[ore hearth]]

+ * [[peacock ore]]

+ * [[green lead ore]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[iron]]

+ * [[earth]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ A different word, öre or øre, is a Scandinavian coin worth one hundredth of a krona or krone (1884), from Latin aureus, a gold coin.^(MWU 2024)^(AHD)^(Collins 2023) The OED also records an obsolete Old English ore, honour, grace, mercy.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}