What does the suffix ferrous mean?

The suffix "-ferrous" indicates the presence of iron in a compound or substance.

Here's how it works:

* Ferrous comes from the Latin word "ferrum", meaning "iron".

* When "-ferrous" is added to a word, it tells you that the substance contains iron in a specific oxidation state.

For example:

* Ferrous oxide (FeO) has iron in the +2 oxidation state.

* Ferric oxide (Fe₂O₃) has iron in the +3 oxidation state.

So, "ferrous" essentially means "containing iron".