scald

UK: /ˈskɔːld/

US: /skɔld/

US: (skôld for 1, 3; skôld, skäld for 2)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

scald¹ /skɔld/   v. [~ + object]

1. to burn with or as if with hot liquid or steam.
2. to heat to a temperature just short of the boiling point:
   to scald milk.

n. [countable]

3. Pathology a burn caused by scalding.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

scald¹  (skôld), v.t. 

1. to burn or affect painfully with or as if with hot liquid or steam.
2. to subject to the action of boiling or hot liquid.
3. to heat to a temperature just short of the boiling point:
   to scald milk.
4. to parboil or blanch (fruit, vegetables, etc.).

v.i. 

5. to be or become scalded.

n. 

6. Pathology a burn caused by the action of hot liquid or steam.
7. Pathology any similar condition, esp. as the result of too much heat or sunlight.
8. [Plant Pathol.]
   • Plant Diseases a blanching of the epidermis and adjacent tissues, which turn pale or dark brown, caused by extreme heat or sun exposure.
   • Plant Diseases a condition resembling scald caused by improper conditions of growth or storage, as in apples, or by fungi, as in cranberries.

• Late Latin excaldāre to wash in hot water. See ex-, caldarium
• dialect, dialectal Old French escalder
• Middle English scalden (verb, verbal) 1175–1225

scald²  (skôld, skäld), n. 

1. Literature skald.

scald³  (skôld), adj. [Archaic.]

1. Also, scalled. scabby;
   scurvy.

n. 

2. a scab.

• scall + -ed³ 1490–1500

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

scald / skɔːld/ verb

1. to burn or be burnt with or as if with hot liquid or steam
2. (transitive) to subject to the action of boiling water, esp so as to sterilize
3. (transitive) to heat (a liquid) almost to boiling point
4. (transitive) to plunge (tomatoes, peaches, etc) into boiling water briefly in order to skin them more easily

noun

1. the act or result of scalding
2. an abnormal condition in plants, characterized by discoloration and wrinkling of the skin of the fruits, caused by exposure to excessive sunlight, gases, etc

Etymology: 13th Century: via Old Norman French from Late Latin excaldāre to wash in warm water, from calida (aqua) warm (water), from calēre to be warm

ˈscalder noun

scald / skɔːld/ noun

1. a variant spelling of skald

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

skald  (skôld, skäld), n. 

1. Literature one of the ancient Scandinavian poets.

Also, scald. 

• Old Norse skāld poet
• 1755–65

skald′ic, adj. 
skald′ship, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

skald, scald / skɔːld/ noun

1. (in ancient Scandinavia) a bard or minstrel

Etymology: from Old Norse, of unknown origin

ˈskaldic, ˈscaldic adjective