Skip to the word

Added 8 October 2026

boil

/bɔɪ(ə)l/ noun

In Latin: fūrunculus, vomica Wiktionary

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about boil at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A localized accumulation of pus in the skin, resulting from infection.

noun

The point at which fluid begins to change to a vapour; the boiling point.
Add the noodles when the water comes to the boil.
An instance of boiling.
Surface water will do, but give it a good boil before drinking it.
A dish of boiled food, especially seafood.
a down-home boil with plenty of crab

verb

To heat to the point where it begins to turn into a gas.
Boil some water in a pan.
To cook in boiling water.
Boil the eggs for three minutes.
To begin to turn into a gas, seethe.
Pure water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.

Origin

From Middle English bile, büle (“boil, tumor”), from Old English bȳl, bȳle (“boil, swelling”), from Proto-Germanic *būlijō, *būlō (“boil”). Akin to Dutch buil (“boil, swelling”), German Beule (“boil, hump”), Icelandic beyla (“swelling, hump”). The expected form is bile; the rounding of the diphthong could be caused by the initial b- and/or by association with etymology 2.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Back to today's word