burnt

American  

[burnt] / bɜrnt /

verb

1. a simple past tense and past participle of burn.

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adjective

1. Fine Arts.

   1. of or showing earth pigments that have been calcined and changed to a deeper and warmer color.

      burnt ocher.

   2. of or showing colors having a deeper or grayer hue than is usually associated with them.

      burnt orange; burnt rose.

burnt British  

/ bɜːnt /

verb

1. a past tense and past participle of burn 1

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adjective

1. affected by or as if by burning; charred

2. (of various pigments, such as ochre and orange) calcined, with a resultant darkening of colour

Other Word Forms

• unburnt
  adjective
• well-burnt
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of burnt

First recorded in 1350–1400, for the adjective

Example Sentences

Burnt garlic is acrid and unforgiving; here, it should dissolve into the base of the sauce, barely visible but deeply present.

From Salon • Apr. 7, 2026

Burnt by past stock market losses, he turned to mutual funds - this time with an adviser's help and a buoyant market.

From BBC • Mar. 5, 2025

In Irvine, eggs go in just about every dish at Burnt Crumbs, from bestselling Japanese-style soufflé pancakes to the breakfast fried rice, said chef-owner Paul Cao.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 11, 2025

She gave birth to two litters, the first of them just 200 yards from a popular parking spot for hikers and mountain bikers on Burnt Hill.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 20, 2024

This is why I only take my shirt off around people who don’t read—like Cade Hernandez and pretty much everybody associated with the Burnt Mill Creek High School Pioneers baseball team.

From "100 Sideways Miles" by Andrew Smith