melt
mehlt
Melt (verb) means to turn from a solid into a liquid through heat. Example: “The snowman began to melt as soon as the sun came out.”
verb
1
To turn from a solid into a liquid through heat.
"The snowman began to melt as soon as the sun came out."
"The ice cream melted quickly in the summer heat."
"Melt the butter in a pan before adding the onions."
2
To soften emotionally, or to make someone feel tender or moved.
"The old man's anger melted away when his granddaughter hugged him."
"Her heart melted when she saw the puppy."
"His stern expression melted into a smile."
noun
1
A sandwich or dish topped with melted cheese.
"The cafe's ham and cheese melt comes with a side of salad."
"Do you want a mushroom melt or a plain toastie?"
"I ordered a tuna melt for lunch."
How to use melt
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo change from solid to liquid with heat, or — figuratively — to soften emotionally.
Common pairings
melt in your mouth
melt away
melt butter
a tuna melt
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Word forms
- Plural
- melts
- Third person singular
- melts
- Past tense
- melted, molt, molten
- Archaic forms
- meltest, meltedst, melteth
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The snowman began to _____ as soon as the sun came out.
Etymology
From Old English meltan and mieltan, both meaning "to melt," going back to a Proto-Germanic root shared with words for digesting — melting and digesting were once seen as the same kind of "breaking down."
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for melt
See all rhymes for melt →Frequently asked questions
What does “melt” mean?
The word “melt” means to turn from a solid into a liquid through heat. In plain terms, to change from solid to liquid with heat, or — figuratively — to soften emotionally.
How do you pronounce “melt”?
“Melt” is pronounced mehlt (/mɛlt/ in IPA).
How do you use “melt” in a sentence?
Here is “melt” used in a sentence: “The ice cream melted quickly in the summer heat.”
What part of speech is “melt”?
Depending on how it is used, “melt” can be a verb and a noun.
Where does the word “melt” come from?
The word “melt” comes from Old English. From Old English meltan and mieltan, both meaning "to melt," going back to a Proto-Germanic root shared with words for digesting — melting and digesting were once seen as the same kind of "breaking down.".
Is “melt” a common word?
“Melt” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “melt” have?
“Melt” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to turn from a solid into a liquid through heat.
What is the difference between "melt" and "dissolve"?
To melt is to turn a solid into a liquid using heat, as when ice melts in the sun. To dissolve is to mix a solid into a liquid so it seems to disappear, as when sugar dissolves in water; dissolving needs a liquid solvent, while melting needs only heat.
What is the difference between "melt" and "thaw"?
Both involve solids becoming softer or liquid, but thawing specifically means warming something frozen back to its normal state, such as thawing frozen meat. Melting turns a solid fully into a liquid through heat and can apply to things that were never frozen, like melting butter or wax.
What is a "melt" as a food?
A melt is a sandwich or dish topped with melted cheese, typically grilled or toasted so the cheese turns soft and gooey. A tuna melt, for example, is a tuna sandwich covered with cheese and heated until it melts.
