Furnace
'fɜːrnɪs
Definitions
An enclosed structure in which fuel is burned to produce heat, typically used for melting metals or heating a building.
'fɜːrnɪs
An enclosed container for heating things at high temperatures.
The industrial furnace was used to smelt iron ore.
💡 Simply: Imagine a really hot oven, but instead of baking cookies, it's used to melt metal or warm your whole house. It's like a super-powered heater!
👶 For kids: A big, hot box that makes things very hot, like melting metal or heating your house.
More Examples
The old furnace in the basement needs to be cleaned regularly.
The ceramic pieces were fired in the kiln furnace.
The heat from the furnace kept the factory warm during the winter.
How It's Used
"The steel was melted in a high-temperature furnace."
"The old furnace needed to be replaced for winter."
From Old French *fourneis*, from Latin *furnus* ('oven'). The word has been used since the 14th century.
In historical texts, furnaces were often described in the context of metalworking and alchemy, where controlled heat was essential for transformations.
Memory tip
Think of a fiery oven – that's a furnace!
Word Origin
"oven"