calefaction

[kal-uh-fak-shuhn]

noun

1. the act of heating.

2. a heated state.

Other Word Forms

• calefactive adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of calefaction¹

1540–50; < Latin calefactiōn- (stem of calefactiō ) a making warm, equivalent to cale- warm (stem of calēre to be warm) + factiōn- a making; faction ¹

Example Sentences

For, though fire by heating, both liquefies and rarefies, there are not two powers in fire, one of liquefaction, the other of rarefaction: and fire produces all such actions by its own power of calefaction.

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They have their cold days, but only now and then, and they do not deem it worth their while to provide against them: the science of calefaction is reserved for the north.

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When the ingenious musician withdrew the bull's horn from his mouth, and paused after his labours in a state of extreme calefaction, murmurs of applause ran all round the room.

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Related Words

• climate 
• cold 
• condition 
• heat 
• warmth