Bessemer Process
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
The conversion of cast iron to steel by oxidizing the carbon by passing currents of air through the molten metal, patented by Sir Henry Bessemer in 1856.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Bessemer Process” mean?
The conversion of cast iron to steel by oxidizing the carbon by passing currents of air through the molten metal, patented by Sir Henry Bessemer in 1856.
Is “Bessemer Process” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.