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Showing results for "vapour"

vapour

American  
[vay-per] / ˈveɪ pər /

noun

Chiefly British.
  1. vapor.


vapour British  
/ ˈveɪpə /

noun

  1. particles of moisture or other substance suspended in air and visible as clouds, smoke, etc

  2. a gaseous substance at a temperature below its critical temperature Compare gas

  3. a substance that is in a gaseous state at a temperature below its boiling point

  4. rare something fanciful that lacks substance or permanence

  5. archaic a depressed mental condition believed originally to be the result of vaporous exhalations from the stomach

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. to evaporate or cause to evaporate; vaporize

  2. (intr) to make vain empty boasts; brag

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Spelling

See -or 1.

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of vapour

C14: from Latin vapor

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.

See Examples For:

It starts off as a cute little white cloud -- a cumulus cloud, which is formed because water vapour has turned into tiny droplets.

From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026

As the Sun heats the ground, the water vapour suddenly condenses.

From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026

The colder the air gets the less water vapour it is able to contain.

From BBC ● Mar. 20, 2026

A vapour barrier is placed on top of the insulation, before engineers lay mats containing glycol on top to keep the ice cold.

From BBC ● Feb. 10, 2026

One great coil of vapour went whirling up, twisting round and round Orthanc, until it looked like a tall peak of cloud, fiery underneath and moonlit above.

From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien

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