Microwave
/ˈmaɪ.kroʊ.weɪv/noun
A form of electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths shorter than radio waves, or an appliance that uses it to heat food.
Did you know?The word was first used for the radiation itself in the 1940s, after wartime radar research revealed a band of invisible waves that could be harnessed for heating.
Etymological Timeline
1870s
Greek
mikros
“small, little”
Old English
English
wafian
“to move to and fro; wave”
19th Century
English
micro-
“a prefix meaning extremely small”
20th Century
English
microwave
“an electromagnetic wave with very short wavelength”
1940s
English
microwave oven
“an appliance that heats food using microwave radiation”
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