vapour
Americannoun
noun
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particles of moisture or other substance suspended in air and visible as clouds, smoke, etc
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a gaseous substance at a temperature below its critical temperature Compare gas
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a substance that is in a gaseous state at a temperature below its boiling point
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rare something fanciful that lacks substance or permanence
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archaic a depressed mental condition believed originally to be the result of vaporous exhalations from the stomach
verb
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to evaporate or cause to evaporate; vaporize
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(intr) to make vain empty boasts; brag
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.
As sweat turns into water vapour it needs heat which it takes from your body helping to cool it - the less clothing the more chance for this heat loss.
From BBC • May 22, 2026
Mr Trapp recommends using a dehumidifier in the room where you dry laundry and close the door to prevent water vapour getting to the rest of the house.
From BBC • Jan. 3, 2026
This year the Red Arrows went green as they used a more environmentally friendly blend of fuel, including sustainable aviation fuel and a biofuel for the trademark vapour trail.
From BBC • Jun. 14, 2025
The samples were rejected as they needed to be airtight so they could retain vapour from any potential accelerant used, he added.
From BBC • May 21, 2025
The water flowing beneath was silent, and it steamed, but the vapour that rose from it, curling and twisting about the bridge, was deadly cold.
From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien
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.
