Wordwyrt

steamer

/ˈstimə/STEE-mur
/ˈstimɚ/STEE-mur

Meaningthat which runs by steam

Common meaning: a steamship

Other meanings: a pan for steaming food

Journey through time

  1. Old Englishstēam‘vapour, smell’sourceB&T
  2. Middle Englishsteem‘flame, vapour’source
  3. Englishsteam‘vapour from boiling water’
  4. Englishformed in English from steamsteamer‘a steamship’ · today

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

  • UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
  • No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
  • US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
  • No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Formed in English from steam + -er.

Dictionary: Skeat (1898), STEAM, p.594 · scan

Source words

  • stēam Old English · source word “vapour”

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