furnace

[fur-nis]

noun

1. a structure or apparatus in which heat may be generated, as for heating houses, smelting ores, or producing steam.

2. a place characterized by intense heat.

   The volcano was a seething furnace.

3. Astronomy.,  Furnace, the constellation Fornax.

verb (used with object)

furnaced, furnacing 

1. to heat (a metal piece) in a furnace.

furnace

/ ˈfɜːnɪs /

noun

1. an enclosed chamber in which heat is produced to generate steam, destroy refuse, smelt or refine ores, etc

2. a very hot or stifling place

Other Word Forms

• furnacelike adjective
• furnace-like adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of furnace¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English furneis, furnais, from Old French fornais, fournais, from Latin fornāc- (stem of fornāx “kiln, oven”), akin to formus “warm”

Word History and Origins

Origin of furnace¹

C13: from Old French fornais , from Latin fornax oven, furnace; related to Latin formus warm

Example Sentences

The pumps require more electricity to operate in extremely cold climates, and could ultimately be more costly to buy and operate than natural-gas furnaces, says Davis.

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He's one of about 2,000 Tata Steel employees who lost their jobs when the blast furnaces were shut down last year.

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Production ended 12 months ago with 2,000 workers made redundant after the company said its blast furnace operation was losing £1m a day.

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Talks on scrapping tariffs on UK steel are on hold, with US officials raising concerns over Tata's shift from blast furnaces to new electric arc furnaces, due in 2027.

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Steelmaking in the US is already greener than in many countries, thanks to the popularity of electric arc furnaces there.

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Related Words

• boiler 
• heater 
• heating system www.thesaurus.com
• incinerator 
• kiln 
• stove