Steel wool is a mass of fine steel threads twisted together into a small ball and used for cleaning hard surfaces or removing paint. Fine fibers of steel matted or woven together to form an abrasive for cleaning, smoothing, or polishing. a rough material made of fine steel threads, that is used to make surfaces smooth, remove paint etc wire wool
[ 'stE(&)l ] (noun.) before 12th century. Middle English stele, from Old English style, stEle; akin to Old High German stahal steel and perhaps to Sanskrit stakati he resists.