# scalding hot

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/scalding-hot
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Extremely hot.

## Examples

- Be careful, the coffee is scalding hot.
- She pulled her hand away quickly because the water in the shower was scalding hot.
- The chef warned the kitchen staff that the soup was scalding hot before they carried the bowls to the dining room.

## Origin

From Middle English scladeng hoot, equivalent to the compound of scalding and hot.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.