melt

1 of 3

verb

melted; melting; melts

intransitive verb

1
: to become altered from a solid to a liquid state usually by heat
2
a
: dissolve, disintegrate
the sugar melted in the coffee
b
: to disappear as if by dissolving
her anger melted at his kind words
3
obsolete : to become subdued or crushed (as by sorrow)
4
: to become mild, tender, or gentle
5
: to lose outline or distinctness : blend

transitive verb

1
: to reduce from a solid to a liquid state usually by heat
2
: to cause to disappear or disperse
3
: to make tender or gentle : soften
meltability noun
meltable adjective
melter noun

melt

2 of 3

noun (1)

1
a
: material in the molten state
b
: the mass melted at a single operation or the quantity melted during a specified period
2
a
: the action or process of melting or the period during which it occurs
the spring melt
b
: the condition of being melted
3
: a sandwich with melted cheese
a tuna melt

melt

3 of 3

noun (2)

: spleen
especially : spleen of slaughtered animals for use as feed or food

Examples of melt in a Sentence

Verb The butter melted in the frying pan. The snow is finally melting. She melted butter in the frying pan. a tablespoon of melted butter Their determination melted in the face of opposition. She melted at his kindly words. Her heart melted with compassion.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Earlier this year hearts melted as an owner shared how her rescue cat will only eat when her owner holds up the food bowl. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024 The moment that Pickford craves is when the two realms collide—the archive and the artifact—and the years in between suddenly melt away. Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024
Noun
The candles can be bought in 8-ounce or 16-ounce jars, and many scents also are found in stores and online in wax melts, hand and body lotions, and linen sprays. The Courier-Journal, 4 Nov. 2024 There was late-season melt at Summit in September, 2022, and more melt in June, 2023. Elizabeth Kolbert, The New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for melt 

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Old English meltan; akin to Old Norse melta to digest, Greek meldein to melt — more at mollify

Noun (2)

Middle English milte, from Old English; akin to Old High German miltzi spleen

First Known Use

Verb

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

Noun (1)

1847, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (2)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of melt was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near melt

Cite this Entry

“Melt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/melt. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

melt

1 of 2 verb
1
: to change from a solid to a liquid state usually through heat
melt butter
snow melts
2
: dissolve sense 1
the sugar melted in the coffee
3
: to grow less : disappear
clouds melting away
4
: to make or become gentle : soften
a warm smile melts the heart
5
: to lose clear outline or shape : blend, merge
melter noun

melt

2 of 2 noun
: a melted substance

More from Merriam-Webster on melt

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!