steam

The word “steam” means the hot vapor that water turns into when it boils. In plain terms, the vapor from hot water, or figuratively, momentum and energy behind an effort.

“Steam” is pronounced steem (/stiːm/ in IPA).

Here is “steam” used in a sentence: “Steam rose from the pot of boiling pasta.”

The opposite of “steam” — its antonyms — is electric.

Depending on how it is used, “steam” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “steam” comes from Old English. From Old English steam, "vapor, hot exhalation," from a Germanic root also connected to the Dutch stoom.

“Steam” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

“Steam” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the hot vapor that water turns into when it boils.

In everyday use the terms overlap, but there is a subtle distinction. True steam is the invisible gas water becomes at its boiling point. The white cloud you actually see is that vapor cooling and condensing into tiny droplets. So the visible cloud from a kettle is really condensed water vapor.

Steam forms at the same temperature as boiling water, around 100°C at sea level, but it carries extra heat energy absorbed during evaporation. When steam touches your skin and condenses back to water, it releases that energy, so a steam burn is often more severe than one from boiling water.

Steam has powered engines and turbines for centuries and still generates much of the world's electricity. In the home it is used for cooking, cleaning, and ironing, and it heats many buildings. Its ability to store and carry large amounts of heat makes it valuable across industry.

Yes, and steam burns can be serious. Because steam holds more heat energy than boiling water at the same temperature, it releases a burst of heat when it condenses on your skin. This makes scalds from steam potentially deeper than those from hot water, so care is needed around kettles and pans.