cauldron

noun

caul·​dron ˈkȯl-drən 

variants or less commonly caldron

1

: a large kettle or boiler

2

: something resembling a boiling cauldron in intensity or degree of agitation

a cauldron of intense emotions

Examples of cauldron in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The closing ceremony will conclude with the Olympic flames being extinguished at the unprecedented two cauldrons in Milan and Cortina, to be viewed via video link. —Colleen Barry, Chicago Tribune, 22 Feb. 2026

Before the cauldrons are extinguished in Milan and Cortina, the Olympic flag will be handed over to a representative of the French Alps, the host region for the 2030 Winter Olympics. —Garrett Chorpenning, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2026

The next time the Olympic cauldron is supposed to be lit will be in Los Angeles on July 14, 2028. —Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2026

And those numbers could keep rising, with some medal chances still left before the cauldrons get extinguished and the Games come to a close. —Tim Reynolds, Twin Cities, 21 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English caudron, caldron, from Anglo-French cauderon, diminutive of caldere basin, from Late Latin caldaria, from feminine of Latin caldarius used for hot water, from calidus warm, from calēre to be warm — more at lee

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for cauldron

• caldron

Kids Definition

cauldron

noun

caul·​dron

variants also caldron

ˈkȯl-drən

1

: a large kettle

2

: something resembling a boiling cauldron in intensity or degree of agitation

a cauldron of intense emotion

Etymology

Middle English caldron, cauldron "cauldron," from earlier cauderon (same meaning), derived from an early French dialect word caudiere "basin," derived from Latin calidus "warm," from calēre "to be hot" — related to calorie, nonchalant