scalding

/skɔldɪŋ/

/ˈskɔldɪŋ/

The adjective scalding describes extremely hot liquid. Wait for your hot chocolate to cool off a bit before you take a sip — it's scalding!

Anything that's scalding is too hot. It's not quite boiling, but scalding tea will burn your mouth, and a scalding bath needs some cold water added to it. Figuratively, scalding things hurt as badly as a burn: "The scalding review of her book devastated her." The phrase scalding hot came into use in the 1400s; earlier, people said "scald hot." Scalding and the verb scald derive from the Late Latin excaldare, "bathe in very hot water."

Definitions of scalding

1. adjective

   extremely hot
   synonyms: fervent, fervid, searing

   hot

   used of physical heat; having a high or higher than desirable temperature or giving off heat or feeling or causing a sensation of heat or burning
2. adjective

   marked by harshly abusive criticism
   synonyms: scathing, vituperative

   critical

   marked by a tendency to find and call attention to errors and flaws
3. adjective

   psychologically painful
   synonyms: traumatic

   painful

   causing physical or psychological pain