heat pump

noun

1. a device that uses a compressible refrigerant to transfer heat from one body, as the ground, air, or water, to another body, as a building, with the process being reversible.

heat pump

noun

1. a device, as used in a refrigerator, for extracting heat from a source and delivering it elsewhere at a much higher temperature

Word History and Origins

Origin of heat pump¹

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

Some experts have hailed heat pump technology as a more efficient option.

From Vox

While it can’t be used as a whole-home generator if the home is small, it’s designed for providing backup power for a few select household appliances like refrigerators and heat pumps.

From Popular-Science

The same goes for things like heating and cooking if regulations require more homes and businesses to shift to electric stoves, heat pumps, and other cleaner technologies.

From MIT Technology Review

GMP ended up upgrading that 150-year-old building with new LED lights and electric heat pumps, and installing the community’s first and only streetlight at a nearby intersection.

From Time

I’ve paid to replace natural-gas heating in low-income housing projects with electric heat pumps—where I pay the capital cost premium and they get the benefit of the lower monthly bill.

From MIT Technology Review