blacksmith

From black (color of forged iron) +‎ smith (related to smite).

• IPA^(key): /ˈblæk.smɪθ/

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• Hyphenation: black‧smith

blacksmith (plural blacksmiths)

1. A person who forges iron.

   Synonyms: ironsmith, burn-the-wind (Scotland, obsolete, slang)

   Hypernyms: smith, metalsmith, smithy

   Hyponyms: bladesmith, swordsmith

   Coordinate terms: goldsmith, whitesmith, silversmith, platinumsmith, farrier, forge, redsmith

   • 1640, I. H. [i.e., James Howell], ΔΕΝΔΡΟΛΟΓΊΑ [DENDROLOGIA]. Dodona’s Grove, or, The Vocall Forrest, London: […] T[homas] B[adger] for H. Mosley [i.e., Humphrey Moseley] […], →OCLC:

     The blacksmith may forge what Religion he pleases.

   • 1879, R[ichard] J[efferies], chapter II, in The Amateur Poacher, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], →OCLC:

     Orion hit a rabbit once; but though sore wounded it got to the bury, and, struggling in, the arrow caught the side of the hole and was drawn out. […]. Ikey the blacksmith had forged us a spearhead after a sketch from a picture of a Greek warrior; and a rake-handle served as a shaft.

   • 1980, AA Book of British Villages, Drive Publications Ltd, page 214, about Hambleden:

     Close to the hump-backed bridge on the lane leading into the Hambleden Valley is a mid-19th-century smithy, its inside walls hung with tools of the blacksmith's trade, though decorative wrought-ironwork is now the main product from its glowing forge.

2. (informal) A person who shoes horses.

   Synonym: farrier

3. A blackish fish of the Pacific coast (Chromis punctipinnis).

• Historically, blacksmiths in small communities have played a number of other roles, including farrier, wainwright and wheelwright. However, the term blacksmithing properly refers to the forging of iron, and blacksmiths and farriers themselves make the distinction.

• gunsmith

blacksmith (third-person singular simple present blacksmiths, present participle blacksmithing, simple past and past participle blacksmithed)

1. (intransitive) To work as a blacksmith.