microwave

[ mahy-kroh-weyv ]
See synonyms for microwave on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. an electromagnetic wave of extremely high frequency, 1 GH3 or more, and having wavelengths of from 1 millimeter to 30 centimeters.

verb (used without object),mi·cro·waved, mi·cro·wav·ing.
  1. to use a microwave oven.

verb (used with object),mi·cro·waved, mi·cro·wav·ing.
  1. to cook, defrost, or otherwise prepare in a microwave oven.

Origin of microwave

1
First recorded in 1930–35; micro- + wave

Other words from microwave

  • mi·cro·wave·a·ble, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for microwave

microwave

/ (ˈmaɪkrəʊˌweɪv) /


noun
    • electromagnetic radiation in the wavelength range 0.3 to 0.001 metres: used in radar, cooking, etc

    • (as modifier): microwave generator

  1. short for microwave oven

verb(tr)
  1. to cook in a microwave oven

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for microwave

microwave

[ krō-wāv′ ]


  1. An electromagnetic wave with a frequency in the range of 100 megahertz to 30 gigahertz (lower than infrared but higher than other radio waves). Microwaves are used in radar, radio transmission, cooking, and other applications. Microwaves are generated naturally by many astronomical phenomena and are found in cosmic background radiation. See more at electromagnetic spectrum.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.