microwave

1 of 2

noun

mi·​cro·​wave ˈmī-krō-ˌwāv 

often attributive

1

: a comparatively short electromagnetic wave

especially : one between about one millimeter and one meter in wavelength

2

: microwave oven

microwave

2 of 2

verb

microwaved; microwaving; microwaves

transitive verb

: to cook or heat in a microwave oven

microwavable adjective

or microwaveable

ˌmī-krō-ˈwā-və-bəl 

Examples of microwave in a Sentence

Noun

The apartment came with a microwave.

Verb

microwave a bowl of soup

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The set includes four dinner plates that are dishwasher safe for easy cleanup and microwave safe for reheating all those leftovers. —Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2025

Place candy melts in a small microwave-safe bowl. —Ann Taylor Pittman, Southern Living, 18 Oct. 2025

Verb

Furthermore, the team exposed the Josephson junction to microwave electromagnetic radiation whose frequency is close to that of Wi-Fi signals. —Zhixin Wang, The Conversation, 10 Oct. 2025

For leftovers, there’s a set of glass Pyrex containers that can be placed in the freezer or microwave with no worries about shattering. —Shea Simmons, Southern Living, 5 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1931, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1973, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing microwave

• cosmic microwave background
• microwave oven

Rhymes for microwave

• aftershave
• architrave
• autoclave
• misbehave
• agave
• behave
• concave
• conclave
• enclave
• engrave
• enslave
• forgave

Kids Definition

microwave

1 of 2 noun

mi·​cro·​wave ˈmī-krō-ˌwāv 

1

: a radio wave between one millimeter and one meter in wavelength

2

: microwave oven

microwave

2 of 2 verb

: to cook or heat in a microwave oven

microwavable adjective

or microwaveable

ˌmī-krə-ˈwā-və-bəl 

Medical Definition

microwave

noun

mi·​cro·​wave -ˌwāv 

often attributive

: a comparatively short electromagnetic wave

especially : one between about 1 millimeter and 1 meter in wavelength