boiling
UK[ˈbɔɪlɪŋ]US[ˈbɔɪlɪŋ]
adj
(of a liquid) heated to the temperature at which it bubbles and turns to vapor
adj
(informal) extremely hot
n
the action of bringing a liquid to the temperature at which it bubbles and turns to vapor
Morpheme Breakdown
boil
ing
boil
ing
Etymology
the word 'boiling' originates from the latin verb 'bullīre', meaning 'to bubble', which itself is derived from 'bulla', a word for 'bubble'. this vivid imagery of bubbling liquid was carried through old french 'boillir' into middle english, solidifying the core meaning related to the agitation of heated water. the addition of the '-ing' suffix, a prolific germanic participial ending, adapts the verb to function as an adjective or noun, describing the state or process. thus, the term logically evolved from a literal description of bubbling water to encompass both the precise scientific phase change and, informally, any condition of intense heat.
Analysis
Structure: boil + ing
boil (from middle english 'boilen', old french 'boillir', latin 'bullīre' meaning 'to bubble, to boil', functional role: root verb) + ing (from old english '-ende', '-ing', functional role: suffix forming present participles and verbal nouns)
Examples
the boiling water hissed as it spilled onto the hot stove.
it was a boiling summer day, with temperatures soaring above 100 degrees.
keep the soup at a gentle boiling for about ten minutes.