A steel cord has a multi-twist structure in which N (N=2 to 8) strands 2 are twisted, each strand 2 being formed by twisting a plurality of element wires 1 and having a substantially elliptical cross-section, wherein d1/d2>1.08 is satisfied, where the major diameter of the strand 2 is represented by d1 and the minor diameter is represented by d2, and εe defined by the following equation: εc=√(−b/2+√(b2/4−c))−1 (in the equation, b represents −1+π2(−4R2+d2)/P2, c represents π2d2k(4π2R2+P2)/P4, R represents (D−d)/2, k represents tan2(π/2−π/N), and d represents (d1+d2)/2) satisfies εc>0.005, where the diameter of a circle circumscribing the cord is represented by D (mm) and the twist pitch of the cord is represented by P (mm).