microwave

American  

[mahy-kroh-weyv] / ˈmaɪ kroʊˌweɪv /

noun

1. an electromagnetic wave of extremely high frequency, 1 GH 3 or more, and having wavelengths of from 1 millimeter to 30 centimeters.

2. microwave oven.

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verb (used without object)

microwaved, microwaving

1. to use a microwave oven.

verb (used with object)

microwaved, microwaving

1. to cook, defrost, or otherwise prepare in a microwave oven.

microwave British  

/ ˈmaɪkrəʊˌweɪv /

noun

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

   2. ( as modifier )

      microwave generator

2. short for microwave oven

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verb

1. to cook in a microwave oven

microwave Scientific  

/ mī′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.

2. See more at electromagnetic spectrum

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Other Word Forms

• microwaveable adjective

Etymology

Origin of microwave

First recorded in 1930–35; micro- + wave

Example Sentences

The second paper "Predicting the quality changes during microwave frying of food biopolymers by solving the hybrid mixture theory-based unsaturated transport, and electromagnetics equations," was published in Current Research in Food Science.

From Science Daily • Apr. 2, 2026

Arno Penzias at Bell Labs won the Nobel Prize in Physics for discovering “cosmic microwave background radiation” from the Big Bang.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 29, 2026

"The cost of firing one laser or microwave is really the cost of electricity," an expert in DEW systems design told AFP on condition of anonymity.

From Barron's • Mar. 16, 2026

The team also discovered that when this phase uncertainty is considered, cosmic birefringence influences another signal in the cosmic microwave background known as the EE correlation.

From Science Daily • Mar. 16, 2026

While they were baking he looked at the clock again—his mother was due in less than half an hour and she was never late—and put two potatoes on a plate to bake in the microwave.

From "The River" by Gary Paulsen

Related Words

• bake
• zap