burner

noun

burn·​er ˈbər-nər 

plural burners

1

: one that burns: such as

a

: the part of a fuel-burning or heat-producing device (such as a furnace or stove) where the flame or heat is produced

b

: a device for recording data on an optical disk

2

: an athlete who possesses great speed

3

: burner phone

… I leaned over and checked the glove box. There were two cell phones in there, both pre-paid burners with a set number of pre-paid minutes, both still in their drugstore packaging, effectively untraceable if bought with cash …

—Lee Child

4

medical : stinger sense 4

He missed two games late in the season because of what athletic trainers call "cervical burners," a fairly appropriate description of the pain that would originate in Wadsworth's neck and shoot down his body.

—Emily Dorman

see also burner account

Examples of burner in a Sentence

The burner on the furnace isn't working.

The computer comes equipped with a CD burner.

Recent Examples on the Web

Tim Dexter, the clean air lead at the charity Asthma + Lung UK, said when the weather is cold the idea of a cosy wood burner in our homes might sound appealing in a statement. —Jamie Hailstone, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024

The heat from the burner increases the temperature of the water to the set temperature before shutting off. —Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Nov. 2024

Chicken stock for paella is warmed up on a second butane burner. —Lisa Shames, Chicago Tribune, 25 Nov. 2024

Standout features include stovetop burners with lights, knobs that turn and click, and a working ice dispenser. —Pamela Brill, Parents, 24 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing burner

• back burner
• barn burner
• Bunsen burner
• burner account
• burner phone
• front burner
• on the back burner
• on the front burner

Kids Definition

burner

noun

burn·​er ˈbər-nər 

: one that burns: as

a

: the part of a fuel-burning or heat-producing device (as a furnace or stove) where a flame or heat is produced

b

: a device for recording data on an optical disk

Medical Definition

burner

noun

burn·​er ˈbər-nər 

: stinger sense 2