verb / noun

melt

MELT/melt/

To lose solid form and become liquid under heat.

The butter melts quickly in the hot frying pan.

Butter pat in small plain pan on warm stove, solid core shrinking into yellow liquid pool, clear solid-to-liquid transition, no words.

Etymology

meltOld Englishbecome liquid through heat

Old English meltan already described becoming liquid through heat. The modern meaning preserves this physical change of state, as when solid ice turns into water.

In context

finishrepair1:51

once that begins to heat I'll melt the material when I'm using two different sticks to kind of blend

Finish Repair Burn-In Wood Touch Up and Repair

More examples

Melt the chocolate over low heat, stirring often.
The intense heat melted the metal.
The spring melt raises the river's water level.

Forms

melt · melts · melted · molten · melting

Similar words

liquefy: Means becoming liquid, whether through heat or another process.
thaw: Focuses on warming something frozen, which may remain solid.