noun
Uncommon
furnace
FUR-nihs
Furnace (noun) means a heating device used to melt metal, fire ceramics, or heat a building. Example: “The old house relied on a coal furnace for heat.”
noun
1
A heating device used to melt metal, fire ceramics, or heat a building.
"The old house relied on a coal furnace for heat."
"Workers fed scrap metal into the blast furnace."
"The potter loaded the clay bowls into the furnace and shut the door."
2
Any place or situation that is extremely hot.
"By noon the greenhouse had become a furnace."
"The car was a furnace after sitting in the sun all afternoon."
"Summer in the desert town turns every unshaded street into a furnace."
How to use furnace
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA device for producing intense heat (for melting metal or heating a home), or informally any very hot place.
Common pairings
blast furnace
furnace room
like a furnace
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Word forms
- Plural
- furnaces
- Third person singular
- furnaces
- Past tense
- furnaced
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The old house relied on a coal _____ for heat.
Etymology
From Old French fornais, from Latin fornax, meaning "oven" or "kiln."
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for furnace
See all rhymes for furnace →Frequently asked questions
What does “furnace” mean?
The word “furnace” means a heating device used to melt metal, fire ceramics, or heat a building. In plain terms, a device for producing intense heat (for melting metal or heating a home), or informally any very hot place.
How do you pronounce “furnace”?
“Furnace” is pronounced FUR-nihs (/ˈfɝnɪs/ in IPA).
How do you use “furnace” in a sentence?
Here is “furnace” used in a sentence: “The old house relied on a coal furnace for heat.”
What part of speech is “furnace”?
“Furnace” is a noun.
Where does the word “furnace” come from?
The word “furnace” comes from Latin. From Old French fornais, from Latin fornax, meaning "oven" or "kiln.".
Is “furnace” a common word?
“Furnace” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “furnace” have?
“Furnace” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a heating device used to melt metal, fire ceramics, or heat a building.
What is the difference between a furnace and an oven?
A furnace is designed to reach very high temperatures for tasks like melting metal, firing ceramics, or heating a building, while an oven is generally used at lower temperatures for cooking food. Furnaces are typically industrial or part of a building's heating system rather than kitchen appliances.
What is the difference between a furnace and a boiler?
A furnace heats air that is then distributed through a building, whereas a boiler heats water or produces steam for heating or other uses. Both can be part of a home heating system but they work by different methods.
Can furnace describe something other than a heating appliance?
Yes, furnace can be used figuratively to describe any place or situation that is extremely hot, such as calling a room a furnace on a summer day. This usage draws on the intense heat associated with an actual furnace.
