kiln

noun

ˈkiln  ˈkil 

: an oven, furnace, or heated enclosure used for processing a substance by burning, firing, or drying

kiln transitive verb

Did you know?

The word kiln was kindled in Old English as a bundle of c-y-l-n. Unlike many words that descend from Old English, however, kiln is not ultimately Germanic in origin but was borrowed from Latin culina, meaning "kitchen," an ancestor of the English word culinary, which has been a menu option in English since the 17th century. An ingredient in culina is coquere, meaning "to cook" in Latin.

Examples of kiln in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Rocks must be roasted in massive kilns at temperatures exceeding 1,000°C, then subjected to heavy acid treatment. —Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 28 May 2026

Their use of wood to fire lime kilns accelerated deforestation. —Lauren Mowery, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026

Cement kilns are among the most energy-intensive industrial systems on Earth. —New Atlas, 26 May 2026

The paper burns away when fired in the kiln, leaving a structure that slumps and distorts under the effects of heat and gravity. —Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 12 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English kilne, from Old English cyln, from Latin culina kitchen, from coquere to cook — more at cook

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

kiln

noun

ˈkiln  ˈkil 

: an oven or furnace for hardening, burning, or drying something

brick kilns

kiln verb