microwave

The word “microwave” means an appliance that cooks or heats food quickly using electromagnetic radiation; also the type of radiation itself. In plain terms, the kitchen appliance that heats food fast using microwaves, and the verb for using it.

“Microwave” is pronounced MYK-roh-wayv (/ˈmaɪkɹoʊˌweɪv/ in IPA).

Here is “microwave” used in a sentence: “Pop the leftovers in the microwave for two minutes.”

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

“Microwave” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

“Microwave” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: an appliance that cooks or heats food quickly using electromagnetic radiation; also the type of radiation itself.

A microwave cooks or heats food quickly using electromagnetic radiation that excites water molecules within the food, while a conventional oven heats food more slowly using surrounding hot air. This makes microwaves faster for reheating but generally less effective for browning or crisping food.

Yes, microwave functions as both a noun and a verb: as a noun it refers to the appliance or the radiation itself, and as a verb it means to cook or heat food using that appliance, as in "microwave the leftovers".

Besides referring to the kitchen appliance, microwave also refers to the type of electromagnetic radiation the appliance uses to heat food. This radiation sense is the more technical or scientific meaning of the word.