scald

1 of 5

verb

ˈskȯld 

scalded; scalding; scalds

transitive verb

1

: to burn with or as if with hot liquid or steam

2

a

: to subject to the action of boiling water or steam

b

: to bring to a temperature just below the boiling point

scald milk

3

: scorch

intransitive verb

1

: to scald something

2

: to become scalded

scald

2 of 5

noun (1)

1

: an injury to the body caused by scalding

2

: an act or process of scalding

3

: any of various conditions or diseases of plants or fruits marked especially by a usually brownish discoloration of tissue

scald

3 of 5

adjective (1)

1

archaic : scabby, scurfy

2

archaic : shabby, contemptible

scald

4 of 5

noun (2)

variant spelling of skald

: an ancient Scandinavian poet

broadly : bard

scald

5 of 5

adjective (2)

ˈskȯld 

: subjected to scalding

coffee … with scald cream

—Charles Kingsley

Examples of scald in a Sentence

Verb

The steam scalded his skin.

Scald the tomatoes in boiling water so that you can peel them more easily.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

In a 2025 study, disposable plastic cups that were filled with scalding 95-degree-Celsius water released 50 percent more microplastics than cups filled with cooler, 50-degree-C water. —Marta Zaraska, Scientific American, 27 Mar. 2025

Incensed by Trump’s trade war, some Canadians are reconsidering their vacations or canceling them altogether to avoid setting foot in the U.S. A California jury awarded $50 million to a man who suffered third-degree burns when scalding Starbucks hot tea spilled onto his lap. —Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 17 Mar. 2025

Adjective

Several comics made light of high-risk behavior with flames, scald injury, contact injury, or burns. —Discover Magazine, 19 Nov. 2019

Noun

Applying a thin layer of lawn soil might help protect the green runners from sun scald but is probably not necessary. —Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Mar. 2025

Wrap the trunk of very young trees to help protect them from sun scald, making sure to remove it after the last frost in spring. —Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 9 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French *escalder, eschauder, from Late Latin excaldare to wash in warm water, from Latin ex- + calida, calda warm water, from feminine of calidus warm, from calēre to be warm — more at lee

Adjective (1)

scall + -ed entry 1

Adjective (2)

alteration of scalded

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (1)

1601, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective (1)

1529, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective (2)

1791, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for scald

• auld
• bald
• balled
• bawled
• called
• crawled
• drawled
• galled
• hauled
• lolled
• mauled
• palled

Kids Definition

scald

1 of 2 verb

ˈskȯld 

1

: to burn with or as if with hot liquid or steam

2

a

: to cover with boiling water or steam

b

: to bring to a temperature just below the boiling point

scald milk

3

: scorch entry 1 sense 1

scald

2 of 2 noun

: an injury to the body caused by scalding

Medical Definition

scald

1 of 2 transitive verb

ˈskȯld 

: to burn with hot liquid or steam

scald

2 of 2 noun

: an injury to the body caused by scalding