Melting
/ˈmɛltɪŋ/
Definitions
2 meaningsTo become liquid by heat or pressure; to dissolve or liquefy.
/ˈmɛltɪŋ/
To change from a solid to a liquid state, typically due to heat.
The snow is melting rapidly in the spring sunshine.
💡 Simply: Think of your ice cream on a hot day! When it gets warm and turns into a liquid, it's melting. Anything that changes from solid to liquid because it's getting warm is melting.
👶 For kids: When something solid, like ice, turns into a liquid, like water, because it's getting warm, that's melting!
More Examples
The sculptor used wax that melted easily.
The butter began melting in the hot pan.
How It's Used
"The ice cubes were melting quickly in the hot sun."
"The chocolate is melting in my hand."
To diminish gradually; to disappear or fade.
/ˈmɛltɪŋ/
To disappear or fade gradually.
The details of the memory began to melt away over time.
💡 Simply: Imagine your worries slowly fading away until they're gone. That's like melting. It's when something gradually goes away or becomes less.
👶 For kids: When something slowly disappears, like a cloud, it's like it's melting away!
More Examples
Her anger melted at his apology.
The crowd began to melt away as the concert ended.
How It's Used
"His resolve began to melt when he saw her tears."
"The sound of the music seemed to melt into the night."
Idioms & expressions
melting pot
A place where different cultures or groups of people blend together.
"New York City is often described as a melting pot of different cultures."
melt away
To gradually disappear or vanish.
"The problems began to melt away as we found solutions."
From Middle English melten, from Old English *meltan (strong verb, class III; past tense *mealt, past participle *gemolten), from Proto-Germanic *meltaną (compare Old High German melzan, Old Norse melta), from Proto-Indo-European *meldʰ- 'to be soft, to grind'.
The word 'melting' has been used since the Middle English period, referring to the process of something becoming liquid due to heat.
Memory tip
Imagine a candle gradually softening and losing its shape due to heat; it's melting!
Word Origin
"to be soft, to grind"