iron ring

noun

The symbol of a Canadian engineer. A faceted stainless steel or iron ring worn on the little finger of the dominant hand, signifying a trained Canadian engineer, awarded in Canada after an accompanying oath of professional conduct, in a private ceremony with dramatic rites.

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Meanings

nouniron ring (plural iron rings)

plural iron rings

  1. CanadaengineeringThe symbol of a Canadian engineer. A faceted stainless steel or iron ring worn on the little finger of the dominant hand, signifying a trained Canadian engineer, awarded in Canada after an accompanying oath of professional conduct, in a private ceremony with dramatic rites.
  2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see iron, ring.

Origin

From being a finger ring made of wrought iron, traditionally explained as being extracted from the debris cleared from the collapse of the Quebec Bridge.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

French anneau de fer martelé
  • anneau de fer marteléring signifying a Canadian engineer
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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