furnace

noun

fur·​nace ˈfər-nəs 

: an enclosed structure in which heat is produced (as for heating a house or for reducing ore)

Examples of furnace in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

How Heat Pumps Work Unlike a traditional furnace, heat pumps don't generate any heat. —Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 28 Jan. 2025

Keep your skin moisturized by using a cool-mist humidifier, especially in the winter months when the heat of a furnace or fireplace can make all skin types susceptible to dryness. —Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 22 Jan. 2025

What People Are Saying U.S. Steel cautioned that without financial backing from Nippon Steel, the company may pivot production from blast furnaces to more cost-effective, non-union electric arc furnaces and relocate its headquarters from Pittsburgh. —John Mac Ghlionn, Newsweek, 13 Jan. 2025

With the investment, the Gary Works’ furnace would have its life extended by up to 20 years. —Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 3 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English fourneyse, fornes, furneis "oven, kiln, furnace," borrowed from Anglo-French furneis, fornays, fornaise (continental Old French forneis —attested once as masculine noun— fornaise, feminine noun), going back to Latin fornāc-, fornāx (also furnāx) "furnace, oven, kiln (for heating baths, smelting metal, firing clay)," from forn-, furn-, base of furnus, fornus "oven for baking" + -āc-, -āx, noun suffix; forn- going back to Indo-European *g^whr̥-no- (whence also Old Irish gorn "piece of burning wood," Old Russian grŭnŭ, gŭrnŭ "cauldron," Russian gorn "furnace, forge," Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian gŕno "coals for heating iron at a smithy," Sanskrit ghṛṇáḥ "heat, ardor"), suffixed derivative of a verbal base *g^wher- "become warm" — more at therm

Note: The variation between -or-, the expected outcome of zero grade, and -ur- in Latin has been explained as reflecting a rural/dialectal change of o to u, borrowing from Umbrian, or the result of a sound change of uncertain conditioning; see most recently Nicholas Zair, "The origins of -urC- for expected -orC- in Latin," Glotta, Band 93 (2017), pp. 255-89.

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing furnace

• blast furnace
• reverberatory furnace

Kids Definition

furnace

noun

fur·​nace ˈfər-nəs 

: an enclosed structure in which heat is produced (as for heating a house or melting metals)