Microwave Definition & Meaning

American

British

Scientific

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms microwave American [mahy-kroh-weyv] / ˈmaɪ kroʊˌweɪv /

noun

1. an electromagnetic wave of extremely high frequency, 1 GH 3 or more, and having wavelengths of from 1 millimeter to 30 centimeters.

2. microwave oven.

verb (used without object)

microwaved, microwaving

1. to use a microwave oven.

verb (used with object)

microwaved, microwaving

1. to cook, defrost, or otherwise prepare in a microwave oven.

microwave British / ˈmaɪkrəʊˌweɪv /

noun

1. 1. electromagnetic radiation in the wavelength range 0.3 to 0.001 metres: used in radar, cooking, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      microwave generator

2. short for microwave oven

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

1. to cook in a microwave oven

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 microwave Scientific / mī′krō-wāv′ /

1. An electromagnetic wave with a frequency in the range of 100 megahertz to 30 gigahertz (lower than infrared but higher than other radio waves). Microwaves are used in radar, radio transmission, cooking, and other applications. Microwaves are generated naturally by many astronomical phenomena and are found in cosmic background radiation.

2. See more at electromagnetic spectrum

Other Word Forms

• microwaveable adjective

Etymology

Origin of microwave

First recorded in 1930–35; micro- + wave

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

And middlemen who deal in goods from Asian factories aren’t always willing to disclose what it really costs to make a sofa or microwave oven.

From The Wall Street Journal

So ubiquitous are highly processed, highly palatable victuals for children that microwaves are now fitted with special settings to heat them up.

From The Wall Street Journal

“You’re going to hear Make America Healthy Again moms talking about it, while also environmental activists talking about it—and I guarantee your relatives are increasingly worried about microwaving their plastic,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal

Emma microwaves the pasta while I arrange veggies on paper plates.

From Literature

The artificial molecule is connected to multiple microwave channels.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• bake
• zap

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.