noun

kiln

kihln

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Kiln (noun) means a heated chamber or oven used to bake, dry, or harden materials — used for firing pottery, drying grain or timber, or curing tobacco. Example: “The pots were left in the kiln overnight to harden.”

noun

A heated chamber or oven used to bake, dry, or harden materials — used for firing pottery, drying grain or timber, or curing tobacco.

"The pots were left in the kiln overnight to harden."

"Freshly cut timber is dried in a kiln before use."

verb

To dry or harden something by baking it in a kiln.

"The bricks are kilned at extremely high temperatures."

How to use kiln

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA special oven for baking or drying things like pottery, bricks, or timber at very high heat.

Common mistake

Many speakers pronounce it "kil" (dropping the "n" sound) — both that and the fully spelled-out pronunciation are accepted.

Common pairings

fire a kiln kiln-dried wood pottery kiln

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

Word forms

Plural: kilns
Third person singular: kilns
Past tense: kilned

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The pots were left in the _____ overnight to harden.

Etymology

From Old English cyln, itself borrowed from Latin culina, "kitchen." The modern spelling keeps the old "-ln" ending that most similar words (like "mill") smoothed away over time.

Origin: Latin

Frequently asked questions

What does “kiln” mean?

The word “kiln” means a heated chamber or oven used to bake, dry, or harden materials — used for firing pottery, drying grain or timber, or curing tobacco. In plain terms, a special oven for baking or drying things like pottery, bricks, or timber at very high heat.

How do you pronounce “kiln”?

“Kiln” is pronounced kihln (/kɪln/ in IPA).

How do you use “kiln” in a sentence?

Here is “kiln” used in a sentence: “The pots were left in the kiln overnight to harden.”

What part of speech is “kiln”?

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

Where does the word “kiln” come from?

The word “kiln” comes from Latin. From Old English cyln, itself borrowed from Latin culina, "kitchen." The modern spelling keeps the old "-ln" ending that most similar words (like "mill") smoothed away over time.

How many meanings does “kiln” have?

“Kiln” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a heated chamber or oven used to bake, dry, or harden materials — used for firing pottery, drying grain or timber, or curing tobacco.