boiling-water
UK[ˈbɔɪlɪŋ ˈwɔːtə]US[ˈbɔɪlɪŋ ˈwɔːtər]
noun phrase
Water that has reached or is at the temperature at which it bubbles and turns to vapor.
Etymology
The compound "boiling water" is a transparent descriptive phrase in English, formed by combining the adjective "boiling" with the noun "water." The verb "boil" originates from the Old English bēolian, meaning "to bubble up, to boil," which is of Germanic origin and likely imitative of the sound of bubbling liquid. The noun "water" comes from the ubiquitous Old English wæter, tracing back to Proto-Germanic watōr and ultimately to the Proto-Indo-European root wod-ōr, the source for "water" in many Indo-European languages. The logic of the phrase is entirely literal, directly describing water in the active state of boiling, a concept essential for cooking, sanitation, and scientific processes.
Analysis
This is a compound noun phrase formed from two simplex English words. 'Boiling' is the present participle of the verb 'boil', from Old English bylgan, bēolian. 'Water' is a noun from Old English wæter.
Examples
Be careful when pouring boiling water into the glass.
The recipe calls for a cup of boiling water to dissolve the yeast.
Sterilize the equipment by immersing it in boiling water for several minutes.