cold iron

noun

a (possibly fictional) substance harmful to fairies; depending on the story, ordinary iron or iron treated in some way

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Meanings

nouncold iron (uncountable)
  1. alternativeuncountableAlternative form of cold steel (“swords, knives, bladed weapons”).

    This scene passed in presence of Lieutenant Lismahago, who encouraged Clinker to hazard a thrust of cold iron with his antagonist.

    1771, Tobias Smollett, The Expedition of Humphry Clinker
    1 more example

    'Gold is for the mistress — silver for the maid — / Copper for the craftsman cunning at his trade.' / 'Good!' said the Baron, sitting in his hall, / 'But Iron — Cold Iron — is master of them all.'

    1910, Rudyard Kipling, “Cold Iron”, in Rewards and Fairies
  2. uncountablehuman sciencesa (possibly fictional) substance harmful to fairies; depending on the story, ordinary iron or iron treated in some way
  3. IrelandScotlandslanguncountablefishingA bad omen.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
in irons
Cite this entry
APA

cold iron. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cold%20iron

MLA

“cold iron.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cold%20iron. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cold iron,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cold%20iron.

Source: cold iron on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.