microwave
microwave Lexical Profile
microwave Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A common kitchen appliance that cooks or heats food quickly using high-frequency electromagnetic waves.
"I reheated yesterday's leftover pasta in the microwave for a quick lunch."
An electromagnetic wave with a wavelength typically between one millimeter and one meter, used extensively in radar, communications, and heating.
"The telecommunications tower uses microwaves to transmit complex data across vast distances without physical cables."
• verb
To cook, heat, or thaw (food or beverages) rapidly in a microwave oven.
"She microwaved the frozen vegetables for three minutes before serving them with the roast."
Word Nuance & Usage
In everyday conversation, the noun is almost exclusively used as a shorthand for 'microwave oven' rather than referring to the electromagnetic wave itself.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the early 1930s from the prefix 'micro-' (meaning small, denoting a relatively short wavelength) and 'wave'. The application to the kitchen appliance emerged in the 1960s as a shortening of 'microwave oven'.