microwave
Americannoun
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an electromagnetic wave of extremely high frequency, 1 GH 3 or more, and having wavelengths of from 1 millimeter to 30 centimeters.
verb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
noun
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electromagnetic radiation in the wavelength range 0.3 to 0.001 metres: used in radar, cooking, etc
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( as modifier )
microwave generator
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short for microwave oven
verb
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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.
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See more at electromagnetic spectrum
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
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has microwavedperfect 3rd person singular
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have microwavedperfect
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am microwavingprogressive 1st person singular
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is microwavingprogressive 3rd person singular
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has been microwavingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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are microwavingprogressive
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microwavingparticiple
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microwavessingular 3rd person
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have been microwavingperfect progressive
Past
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had microwavedperfect
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had been microwavingperfect progressive
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was microwavingprogressive singular
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were microwavingprogressive plural
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microwavedparticiple
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microwavedsimple
Future
Etymology
Origin of microwave
Explanation
A microwave is a small oven that cooks or heats food very quickly. Instead of the electric or gas heat that a regular oven uses, a microwave heats with electromagnetic radiation. While the heat of a regular oven (or a small toaster oven) surrounds your food and cooks it from the outside, with the heat working its way in, a microwave's radiation cooks most food from the inside out. Its radiation, or waves, penetrate the food and heat up any moisture inside it. These waves are themselves called microwaves because they're short (and micro- means "small"), similar to radio waves.
Vocabulary lists containing microwave
Physical Science - Energy - Introductory
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Space Science (Astronomy) - Middle School
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Physics - Introductory
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"They started coming from everywhere, from the wi-fi router, under the kettle, the toaster and all the switchboards. We would cook and they would keep coming from the sockets, from under the microwave."
From BBC • May 28, 2026
Juno's microwave radiometer offered a better way to estimate the energy of lightning because microwave signals can pass through clouds.
From Science Daily • May 21, 2026
This more versatile approach uses ultracold electrical circuits to store data, and timed pulses of microwave energy to perform calculations.
From Barron's • May 15, 2026
“We’re doing it with our own. You can’t microwave that overnight.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026
At my house, rice boils in a plastic bag or gets heated in the microwave.
From "A Place at the Table" by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
