cauldron

noun caul·dron \ ˈkȯl-drən \

variants: or less commonly caldron

Updated on: 24 Apr 2018

Definition of cauldron

1 : a large kettle or boiler

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

a cauldron of intense emotions

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Recent Examples of cauldron from the Web

But there is political reward and risk from jumping into the immigration cauldron — and being seen as one of Trump’s warriors on this front can be both.

— michael smolens, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Gaspar tries to ride Trump's 'sanctuary' lawsuit into Congress," 20 Apr. 2018
Silicon Valley may imagine itself as a larger-than-life cauldron of drama.

— nick bilton, The Hive, "“Threats,” “Ultimatums,” and “Espionage”: Inside Silicon Valley’s Spy Wars," 13 Apr. 2018
The opening shot might be a metaphorical mallet — a cauldron of water slowly coming to the boil while a violent, slur-slathered argument plays out offscreen — but the coarseness is in keeping with the movie’s pointed, symbolic style.

— jeannette catsoulis, New York Times, "Review: 1920s Australia Is No ‘Sweet Country’ for Aboriginal Australians," 5 Apr. 2018
The cauldron of hot oil blackened with sugar and batter, Peeps exploded as if they’d been tossed into the sun, and the Tribune test kitchen smelled of frying oil for days afterward, but flavorwise, there were some definite hits and misses.

— joseph hernandez, chicagotribune.com, "We Fried It: Deep-fried Peeps, Spam musubi, Chicago hot dogs and more," 30 Mar. 2018
Countless others on the team, including many of Dickerson's fellow coaches, swung through for a feast that included a cauldron the size of a truck tire filled with Jambalaya pasta.

— jon meoli, baltimoresun.com, "Orioles celebrate Bobby Dickerson's long-awaited diploma with Louisiana crawfish boil," 25 Mar. 2018
Watching the torch make its way around the stadium, watching unified Korean athletes carry it up the ramp and seeing them light the cauldron.

— mitch goldich, SI.com, "PyeongChang 2018 Journal: A First-Timer Experiences Just How Big the Winter Olympics Are," 25 Feb. 2018
Forged in a cauldron of radical politics and gritty musical influences, the MC5 became one of the defining acts in Detroit rock, releasing three albums before disbanding in disarray in early 1973.

— brian mccollum, Detroit Free Press, "MC5's Wayne Kramer to lead the MC50 in 'Kick Out the Jams' anniversary tour, Detroit show," 6 Mar. 2018
The Prince returns and learns of the plot, and the mother instead self-inflicts her own trip into the cauldron.

— lauren warnecke, chicagotribune.com, "'La Belle' ballet is a dark, beautiful take on the fairy tale 'Sleeping Beauty' — sometimes even disturbing," 4 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cauldron.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of cauldron

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

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