: an oven, furnace, or heated enclosure used for processing a substance by burning, firing, or drying
kiln transitive verb

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The word kiln was kindled in Old English as a bundle of c-y-l-n. Unlike many words that descend from Old English, however, kiln is not ultimately Germanic in origin but was borrowed from Latin culina, meaning "kitchen," an ancestor of the English word culinary, which has been a menu option in English since the 17th century. An ingredient in culina is coquere, meaning "to cook" in Latin.

Examples of kiln in a Sentence

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Together, the chemical reaction inside the kiln and the fuel used for heat produces the bulk of the carbon pollution. Lara Williams, The Mercury News, 5 Nov. 2024 But with globalization came outsourcing, and in 2008, the kilns went cold. Johannes Lichtman, Travel + Leisure, 26 Oct. 2024 The kiln, 20 feet deep with an arched fire mouth, resembled a brick dragon. Siddhartha Mitter, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2024 Clay was extracted from local deposits and fired on an open bonfire kiln on the Isla de Margarita, with the rising smoke leaving its markings on the clay, and capturing the spirit of the community. Lee Sharrock, Forbes, 13 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for kiln 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English kilne, from Old English cyln, from Latin culina kitchen, from coquere to cook — more at cook

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of kiln was before the 12th century

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Cite this Entry

“Kiln.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kiln. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

kiln

noun
: an oven or furnace for hardening, burning, or drying something
brick kilns
kiln verb

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