boil

1 of 3

verb

boiled; boiling; boils

intransitive verb

1
a
: to come to the boiling point
b
: to generate bubbles of vapor when heated
used of a liquid
c
: to cook in boiling water
2
: to become agitated : seethe
3
: to be moved, excited, or stirred up
4
a
: to rush headlong
b
: to burst forth
5
: to undergo the action of a boiling liquid

transitive verb

1
: to subject to the action of a boiling liquid
2
: to heat to the boiling point
3
: to form or separate (something, such as sugar or salt) by boiling
boilable adjective

boil

2 of 3

noun (1)

: a localized swelling and inflammation of the skin resulting from infection of a hair follicle and adjacent tissue, having a hard central core, and forming pus

boil

3 of 3

noun (2)

1
: the act or state of boiling
2
: a swirling upheaval (as of water)
3
: a boiled dish of seafood, vegetables, and seasonings
a crab boil
also : a gathering at which this dish is served

Examples of boil in a Sentence

Verb Keep the temperature low enough so the mixture will not boil. a pot of boiling water french fries cooked in boiling oil Noun (1) the dermatologist lanced the infected boil that had formed on the patient's neck
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Armenians boiled your parchment skin to make yellow umber for silk and wool. Peter Balakian, New Yorker, 14 July 2025 By crushing bones and boiling them to extract grease, Neanderthals tapped into a rich energy source, using techniques once thought to belong only to much later human groups. Pranjal Malewar, New Atlas, 12 July 2025
Noun
Then, using a kettle or just a pot on the stove, bring a few cups of water to a boil. Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 5 July 2025 Kitty Cohen's Kitty Cohen's is doing their last free crawfish boil of the season on March 1. Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for boil

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French buillir, boillir, from Latin bullire to bubble, from bulla bubble

Noun (1)

Middle English, alteration of bile, from Old English bȳl; akin to Old High German pūlla bladder

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of boil was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Boil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boil. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

boil

1 of 3 noun
: a painful swollen inflamed area of the skin resulting from infection compare carbuncle sense 2

boil

2 of 3 verb
1
a
: to produce bubbles of vapor when heated
the water is boiling
b
: to come or bring to the boiling point
the coffee boiled
2
: to churn violently as if boiling
boiling floodwaters
3
: to be excited or stirred up
boil with anger
4
: to go through or cause to go through the action of a boiling liquid
boil eggs

boil

3 of 3 noun
: the act or state of boiling
bring to a boil
Etymology

Noun

an altered form of Middle English bile "a boil," from Old English bȳl (same meaning)

Verb

Middle English boilen "to boil," from early French boillir, derived from Latin bulla "a bubble" — related to bill entry 3, bowl entry 2

Medical Definition

boil

noun
: a localized swelling and inflammation of the skin resulting from usually bacterial infection of a hair follicle and adjacent tissue, having a hard central core, and forming pus

called also furuncle

More from Merriam-Webster on boil

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