heat

1 of 2

verb

ˈhēt 

heated; heating; heats

intransitive verb

1

: to become warm or hot

water heating in a kettle

2

: to start to spoil from heat

transitive verb

1

: to make warm or hot

heat a can of soup

heat the oven to 350 degrees

2

: excite

were heated by his stirring words

heatable

ˈhē-tə-bəl 

adjective

heat

2 of 2

noun

1

a(1)

: a condition of being hot : warmth

snow melting in the heat of the sun

(2)

: a marked or notable degree of hotness

The heat was intense.

b

: pathological excessive bodily temperature

the heat of the fever

c

: a hot place or situation

get out of the heat

d(1)

: a period of heat

an unbroken heat

(2)

: a single complete operation of making something warm or hot

also : the quantity of material so heated

e(1)

physics : added energy that causes substances to rise in temperature, fuse, evaporate, expand, or undergo any of various other related changes, that flows to a body by contact with or radiation from bodies at higher temperatures, and that can be produced in a body (as by compression)

(2)

physics : the energy associated with the random motions of the molecules, atoms, or smaller structural units of which matter is composed

f

: appearance, condition, or color of something as indicating its temperature

when the rod is at the proper welding heat

2

a

: intensity of feeling or reaction : passion

answered with considerable heat

b

: the height or stress of an action or condition

in the heat of battle

c

: sexual excitement especially in a female mammal

like an animal in heat

specifically : estrus

3

: a single continuous effort: such as

a

: a single round of a contest (such as a race) having two or more rounds for each contestant

won two heats out of three

b

: one of several preliminary contests held to eliminate less competent contenders

won the second heat but finished third in the final race

4

: pungency of flavor

Add some cayenne pepper for extra heat.

5

a slang

(1)

: the intensification of law-enforcement activity or investigation

waited until the heat was off

(2)

: police

b

: pressure, coercion

turn up the heat on your congressperson

c

: abuse, criticism

took heat for her mistakes

6

baseball : smoke sense 8

throwing some heat

7

slang : gun sense 1b

was packing heat

heatless

ˈhēt-ləs 

adjective

heatproof

ˈhēt-ˌprüf 

adjective

Synonyms

Verb

• hot (up) [chiefly Southern, southern Midland, & British]
• toast
• warm

Noun

• ardency
• ardor
• emotion
• enthusiasm
• fervency
• fervidness
• fervor
• fire
• intenseness
• intensity
• passion
• passionateness
• vehemence
• violence
• warmth
• white heat

Examples of heat in a Sentence

Verb

I heated the vegetables in the microwave.

They heat their house with a wood stove.

Noun

The sun's heat melted the snow.

the intense heat of a fire

She applied heat to the sore muscles in her leg.

a period of high heat and humidity

The crops were damaged by drought and extreme heat.

Cook the milk over low heat.

Remove the pan from the heat.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Landlords must allow tenants to heat their homes to at least 67 degrees, according to Wisconsin law. —Maia Pandey, Journal Sentinel, 8 Dec. 2024

This process, known as thermal emission, happens to near-Earth objects after the Sun heats them up. —Toshi Hirabayashi, Discover Magazine, 5 Dec. 2024

Noun

Coffee Moisture, air, heat, and light negatively affect coffee beans and grounds.12 Coffee absorbs moisture, odors, and tastes from the air around it. —Heather Jones, Verywell Health, 10 Dec. 2024

Vacationing Outdoors As a tropical plant, rainbow eucalyptus may enjoy spending time outdoors in summer’s heat and humidity. —Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English heten, going back to Old English hǣtan, going back to Germanic *haitjan- (whence also Middle Dutch hēten "to make warm," Old High German heizen, Old Norse heita "to make hot, brew"), derivative of *haita- "having a high temperature, burning" — more at hot entry 1

Noun

Middle English hete, going back to Old English hǣtu, going back to Germanic *haitīn- (whence also Old Frisian hēte "high temperature, heat," Old High German heizi), noun derivative from *haita- "having a high temperature, burning" — more at hot entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Phrases Containing heat

• animal heat
• beat the heat
• blood heat
• body heat
• coming into heat
• dead heat
• dry heat
• feel the heat/cold
• generated/produced more heat than light
• heat cramps
• heat engine
• heat exchanger
• heat exhaustion
• heat index
• heat lightning
• heat pump
• heat rash
• heat resistant
• heat-seeking
• heat shield
• heat shock protein
• heat sink
• heat (something) up
• heat-treat
• heat up
• heat up (something)
• heat wave
• if you can't stand/take the heat, get out of the kitchen
• in heat
• in the heat of (the) battle
• latent heat
• more heat than light
• on heat
• pack heat
• prickly heat
• putting the heat on
• radiant heat
• red heat
• sensible heat
• specific heat
• the heat
• the heat is on
• the heat of the day
• turned up the heat on
• white heat

Kids Definition

heat

1 of 2 verb

ˈhēt 

1

: to make or become warm or hot

2

: to make excited

heat

2 of 2 noun

1

a

: a condition of being hot : warmth

b

: a high degree of hotness

c

: a hot place or period

the heat of the day

d

: a form of energy that causes substances to rise in temperature or to go through associated changes (as melting, evaporation, or expansion)

2

a

: strength of feeling

answered with some heat

b

: the height of an action or condition

the heat of battle

c

: estrus sense 1

3

: a single race in a contest made up of two or more races

heatless

ˈhēt-ləs 

adjective

heatproof

-ˈprüf 

adjective

Medical Definition

heat

1 of 2 intransitive verb

ˈhēt 

: to become warm or hot

transitive verb

: to make warm or hot

heat

2 of 2 noun

1

a

: the state of a body or of matter that is perceived as opposed to cold and is characterized by elevation of temperature : a condition of being hot

especially : a marked or notable degree of this state : high temperature

b(1)

: a feverish state of the body : pathological excessive bodily temperature (as from inflammation)

knew the throbbing heat of an abscess

the heat of the fever

(2)

: a warm flushed condition of the body (as after exercise) : a sensation produced by or like that produced by contact with or approach to heated matter

c(1)

: added energy that causes substances to rise in temperature, fuse, evaporate, expand, or undergo any of various other related changes, that flows to a body by contact with or radiation from bodies at higher temperatures, and that can be produced in a body (as by compression)

(2)

: the energy associated with the random motions of the molecules, atoms, or smaller structural units of which matter is composed

2

: sexual excitement especially in a female mammal

specifically : estrus