The word "microwave" is spelled with six letters and is pronounced /ˈmaɪ.krə.weɪv/. The first syllable is pronounced like "mye," with a long "i" sound. The second syllable is pronounced like "kruh," with a schwa sound as the second vowel. The final syllable is pronounced like "wayv," with a long "a" sound. This word refers to a type of oven that uses electromagnetic radiation to heat food. Despite its tricky spelling, microwave ovens are a common appliance found in many kitchens around the world.
Microwave:
Noun: A microwave refers to an electronic kitchen appliance designed for cooking or heating food by means of high-frequency electromagnetic radiation. This device is capable of producing electromagnetic waves with wavelengths between 1 millimeter and 30 centimeters, which fall within the microwave region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Microwaves are characterized by their efficiency in converting electrical energy into electromagnetic energy, which is then absorbed by food molecules, causing them to vibrate and generate heat. The appliance typically consists of a magnetron tube that generates the microwaves, a waveguide that directs the microwaves into the cooking chamber, a rotating turntable that ensures even heating, and a control panel with various settings for time and power levels.
Verb: In addition to the appliance, "microwave" also functions as a verb. To microwave means to cook or heat food using a microwave oven. This method of cooking relies on the absorption of microwaves by food molecules, resulting in rapid and uniform heating. The verb "microwave" indicates the action of placing food in a microwave oven, setting the desired time and power level, and permitting the appliance to generate microwaves to cook or heat the food. Microwaving has become a widely adopted cooking technique due to its convenience, speed, and ability to retain food nutrients, and is commonly used for reheating leftovers, defrosting frozen food, or cooking certain ready-to-eat meals with instructions for microwave preparation.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "microwave" has its origin in the combination of two words: "micro" and "wave".
The term "micro" stems from the Greek word "mikros" meaning "small" or "minute". It is often used in scientific and technical terms to refer to something very tiny or minuscule.
The word "wave" comes from the Old English word "wafian" which means "to fluctuate" or "to move back and forth". It generally refers to a disturbance or vibration that carries energy through space or matter.
Therefore, "microwave" combines these two components to describe a type of electromagnetic wave with a shorter wavelength than radio waves but longer than infrared radiation. The name was coined to describe the specific type of electromagnetic radiation used in the microwave oven technology.