vapor

noun va·por \ ˈvā-pər \

Updated on: 17 May 2018

Definition of vapor

1 : diffused matter (such as smoke or fog) suspended floating in the air and impairing its transparency

2 a : a substance in the gaseous state as distinguished from the liquid or solid state

b : a substance (such as gasoline, alcohol, mercury, or benzoin) vaporized for industrial, therapeutic, or military uses; also : a mixture (such as the explosive mixture in an internal combustion engine) of such a vapor with air

3 a : something unsubstantial or transitory : phantasm

b : a foolish or fanciful idea

4 vapors plural

a archaic : exhalations of bodily organs (such as the stomach) held to affect the physical or mental condition

b : a depressed or hysterical nervous condition

See vapor defined for English-language learners

See vapor defined for kids

vapor was our Word of the Day on 08/23/2013. Hear the podcast!

Recent Examples of vapor from the Web

Normally, the magma beneath the lake maintains a sort of demilitarized zone with the surrounding groundwater—a vapor buffer that separates the two.

— scott k. johnson, Ars Technica, "Here’s what’s going on with Hawaii’s erupting volcano," 11 May 2018
Vaping is inhaling the aerosol, commonly called vapor, produced by electronic cigarettes to simulate the act of smoking tobacco.

— jonathan sperling /, NBC News, "Deadly Florida house fire caused by exploding vape pen, firefighters say," 7 May 2018
If that happens, people are warned not to touch or breathe any vapors from debris that could be contaminated with highly toxic hydrazine fuel.

— james dean, USA TODAY, "Chinese station falling from space, but chances of being hit are low," 31 Mar. 2018
The company says its machine uses plastic to catch condensation, essentially extracting pure water out of the vapors in the air.

— timothy puko, WSJ, "Sheldon Adelson Facilitated EPA Connection for Israeli Firm," 27 Mar. 2018
In the end, all four pieces on the program were more effective about bringing you into their various vapors and triumphs than anything else.

— peter dobrin, Philly.com, "Nicholas Angelich joins Stéphane Denève and Philadelphia Orchestra on musical jaunts," 27 Apr. 2018
There are two nozzles at the back of the chamber pumping out the nitrogen vapors, and the quarter turns make sure your body gets frozen evenly … kind of like a polar rotisserie.

— lee judge special to the star, kansascity, "Cold truth about cryotherapy: Holy %#*&, the longest three minutes of my life | The Kansas City Star," 24 Apr. 2018
The alloy steel blades are heat-treated to ensure bend resistance and toughness, and each tip is vapor-blasted with high-pressure water and an abrasive that produces a screw-gripping satin finish.

— Popular Mechanics, "55 Things to Do Before the World Ends," 19 Apr. 2018
Where the line really is, and how many planets fall on one side or the other, could determine how many worlds out there are balls of freezing vapor or potential gardens.

— dennis overbye, New York Times, "Meet TESS, Seeker of Alien Worlds," 26 Mar. 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of vapor

Middle English vapour, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French vapor, vapour, borrowed from Latin vapor, earlier vapōs "exhalation, steam, warmth," perhaps akin to Lithuanian kvãpas "smell, scent"

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First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

vapor

verb

Definition of vapor

vapored; vaporing play \ˈvā-p(ə-)riŋ\

intransitive verb

1 a : to rise or pass off in vapor

b : to emit vapor

2 : to indulge in bragging, blustering, or idle talk

—

vaporer

play \-pər-ər\ noun

Examples of vapor in a Sentence

a faded Southern belle tiresomely vaporing about all the handsome beaux she had in her long-ago youth

Recent Examples of vapor from the Web

But whole body cryotherapy exposes the body for a couple of minutes to vapor that has been supercooled to somewhere between minus 200 and minus 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

— aaron e. carroll, New York Times, "Cold Therapy? Maybe Better Save Your Money," 2 Jan. 2017

Did You Know?

Speakers of the English language, mindful of the lightness and unsubstantiality of floating air and gas, have put several airy words to good use over the years to describe the act of talking idly or boastfully. The earliest such word is blow (as in "he kept blowing about his new job"), which drifted into English sometime about 1400. Vapor wafted into the language in the 1620s, and a little over 200 years later windbags, later also known as gasbags, not only blew and vapored but also gassed about anything they could.

First Known Use of vapor

15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

VAPOR Defined for English Language Learners

vapor

noun

Definition of vapor for English Language Learners

: a substance that is in the form of a gas or that consists of very small drops or particles mixed with the air

VAPOR Defined for Kids

vapor

noun va·por \ ˈvā-pər \

Definition of vapor for Students

1 : fine bits (as of fog or smoke) floating in the air and clouding it

2 : a substance in the form of a gas

water vapor

Medical Dictionary

vapor

noun va·por

variants: or chiefly British vapour play \ˈvā-pər\

medical Definition of vapor

1 a : a substance in the gaseous state as distinguished from the liquid or solid state

b : a substance (as alcohol or benzoin) vaporized for industrial, therapeutic, or military uses

2 vapors or chiefly British vapours plural

a : exhalations of bodily organs (as the stomach) formerly held to affect the physical or mental condition

b : a depressed or hysterical nervous condition

Learn More about vapor

See words that rhyme with vapor Spanish Central: Translation of vapor Nglish: Translation of vapor for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of vapor for Arabic speakers

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vapor

Definition of vapor

vapor was our Word of the Day on 08/23/2013. Hear the podcast!

Recent Examples of vapor from the Web

Origin and Etymology of vapor

vapor

Definition of vapor

vaporer

Examples of vapor in a Sentence

Recent Examples of vapor from the Web

Did You Know?

First Known Use of vapor

VAPOR Defined for English Language Learners

vapor

Definition of vapor for English Language Learners

VAPOR Defined for Kids

vapor

Definition of vapor for Students

Medical Dictionary

vapor

medical Definition of vapor

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