burner

noun

burn·​er ˈbər-nər 

plural burners

1

: one that burns: such as

a

: the part of a fuel-burning or heat-producing device (such as a furnace or stove) where the flame or heat is produced

b

: a device for recording data on an optical disk

2

: an athlete who possesses great speed

3

: burner phone

… I leaned over and checked the glove box. There were two cell phones in there, both pre-paid burners with a set number of pre-paid minutes, both still in their drugstore packaging, effectively untraceable if bought with cash …

—Lee Child

4

medical : stinger sense 4

He missed two games late in the season because of what athletic trainers call "cervical burners," a fairly appropriate description of the pain that would originate in Wadsworth's neck and shoot down his body.

—Emily Dorman

see also:

burner account

Examples of burner in a Sentence

The burner on the furnace isn't working.

The computer comes equipped with a CD burner.

Recent Examples on the Web

These run on electricity, which activates a magnetic field that heats pans and food but leaves burners cool to the touch. —Marni Jameson, Arkansas Online, 10 Apr. 2026

Cámara cranks one burner to 20,000 BTU to quickly boil fresh pasta and lowers the next to a gentler 300 BTU to simmer sauces whipped up with leftover garden vegetables. —Kate Kassin, Bon Appetit Magazine, 9 Apr. 2026

This retreat is designed for unwinding, with a cozy living space that offers an unobscured view and a smart TV, along with a small kitchenette with a burner to whip up meals. —Bailey Berg, Architectural Digest, 8 Apr. 2026

Basha is a good but not great skater (though his skating has come a long way in the last two to three years) who gets off the mark quickly and attacks in short bursts but isn’t a burner. —Scott Wheeler, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing burner

• back burner
• barn burner
• Bunsen burner
• burner account
• burner phone
• front burner
• on the back burner
• on the front burner

Rhymes for burner

• earner
• learner
• sterner
• afterburner

Kids Definition

burner

noun

burn·​er ˈbər-nər 

: one that burns: as

a

: the part of a fuel-burning or heat-producing device (as a furnace or stove) where a flame or heat is produced

b

: a device for recording data on an optical disk

Medical Definition

burner

noun

burn·​er ˈbər-nər 

: stinger sense 2