boiler

noun

boil·​er ˈbȯi-lər How to pronounce boiler (audio)
1
: one that boils
2
a
: a vessel used for boiling
b
: the part of a steam generator in which water is converted into steam and which consists usually of metal shells and tubes
c
: a tank in which water is heated or hot water is stored
d
chiefly British : furnace

Examples of boiler in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web In a big city like New York, your building might have a boiler that burns oil or gas to heat water or produce steam, which feeds wheezing radiators in every unit. Matt Simon, WIRED, 29 Mar. 2024 The company produces aluminum for a range of products including cars and planes. —Kraft Heinz will install heat pumps, electric heaters and electric boilers to decarbonize food production at 10 facilities, including in Holland, Michigan. Isabella O'Malley, Fortune, 25 Mar. 2024 The AfD is the party that speaks to those wanting to stick to diesel cars and gas boilers. Joseph De Weck, The Atlantic, 20 Mar. 2024 The resort’s night caretaker, Tyler Standley, reported smoke coming from the basement boiler area located below the lobby area of the lodge. Molly Guthrey, Twin Cities, 10 Feb. 2024 Fossil-fuel boilers are out and solar-panel-ready buildings are in. Frances Schwartzkopff, Fortune Europe, 24 Mar. 2024 The company has also started training women to be boiler operators – a job women didn’t tend to do before the war. Svitlana Vlasova, CNN, 9 Mar. 2024 Buildings produce about a third of carbon emissions in Europe, where the boiler is dominant in many countries. Olivia Rudgard, Fortune Europe, 12 Mar. 2024 The plan is to replace the boiler with heat pumps in each room that can be turned on individually. Jeff Brady, NPR, 4 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'boiler.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1540, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of boiler was circa 1540

Dictionary Entries Near boiler

Cite this Entry

“Boiler.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boiler. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

boiler

noun
boil·​er ˈbȯi-lər How to pronounce boiler (audio)
1
: a container in which something is boiled
2
: a strong metal container used in making steam
3
: a tank in which water is heated or hot water is stored

More from Merriam-Webster on boiler

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!