melting point
Americannoun
noun
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The temperature at which a solid, given sufficient heat, becomes a liquid. For a given substance, the melting point of its solid form is the same as the freezing point of its liquid form, and depends on such factors as the purity of the substance and the surrounding pressure. The melting point of ice at a pressure of one atmosphere is 0°C (32°F); that of iron is 1,535°C (2,795°F).
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See also state of matter
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Ice melts at thirty-two degrees Fahrenheit (see also Fahrenheit) or zero degrees Celsius.
Etymology
Origin of melting point
First recorded in 1835–45
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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.
As soon as the temperature reaches the melting point, the rigid structure of ice collapses into liquid water.
From Science Daily ● Jan. 26, 2026
Some theories suggest these zones could be remnants of magma from 4.5 billion years ago, while others believe they result from tectonic plates that have sunk into the Earth's interior, spreading low melting point material.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 23, 2023
Warm enough, in fact, that one might not need to dig very deep to reach ambient temperatures above the melting point of water.
From Scientific American ● Mar. 30, 2023
The mainstay has been coconut oil but, compared to animal fat, this has a lower melting point, or the point at which fat turns from solid to liquid.
From BBC ● Jan. 30, 2023
“It has a high melting point and good tensile strength too. Expensive stuff though. Take some time to drill and shape. C’mon.”
From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam
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.
