# ore

> English word · Noun · IPA /oɹ/ · frequency rank #6,076

## Definitions
1. Rock or other material that contains valuable or utilitarian materials; primarily a rock containing metals or gems for which it is typically mined and processed.

## Etymology
From Middle English or, oor, blend of Old English ōra (“ore, unwrought metal”) and ār (“brass, copper, bronze”), the first a derivate of ear (“earth”), the second from Proto-West Germanic *aiʀ, from Proto-Germanic *aiz, from Proto-Indo-European *áyos, h₂éyos.
Compare Old Norse eir (“brass, copper”), German ehern (“of metal, of iron”), Gothic 𐌰𐌹𐌶 (aiz, “ore”); also Dutch oer (“ferrous hardpan; bog iron ore”). Compare Latin aes (“bronze, copper”), Avestan 𐬀𐬌𐬌𐬀𐬵 (aiiah), Sanskrit अयस् (áyas, “copper, iron”).

## Easily confused with
- **OS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ore-vs-os)
- **oz** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ore-vs-oz)
- **OT** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ore-vs-ot)
- **ou** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ore-vs-ou)
- **ow** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ore-vs-ow)
- **ox** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ore-vs-ox)
- **oy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ore-vs-oy)
- **ov** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ore-vs-ov)
- **out** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ore-vs-out)
- **our** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ore-vs-our)
- **own** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ore-vs-own)
- **owe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ore-vs-owe)
- **owl** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ore-vs-owl)
- **org** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ore-vs-org)
- **Orr** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ore-vs-orr)
- **OST** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ore-vs-ost)
- **ova** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ore-vs-ova)
- **OTC** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ore-vs-otc)
- **OTT** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ore-vs-ott)
- **Ori** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ore-vs-ori)

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/ore