adj
scalding
adj
1
Hot enough to burn the skin.
"Be careful — the soup is scalding hot."
2
Extremely harsh or critical.
"The critic wrote a scalding review of the new film."
noun
1
A burn caused by hot liquid or steam.
"The child suffered a scalding after pulling a hot cup off the table."
How to Use Scalding
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishDescribes something painfully hot, or a review/criticism that is unusually harsh.
Common pairings
scalding hot
a scalding review
scalding water
Word Forms
more scalding comparative, scaldings plural, scaldings plural, most scalding superlative
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Etymology
From the verb "scald," ultimately tracing back to Latin excaldāre, "to bathe in hot water," from ex- + caldus, "hot."