English Reference
Noun

kiln

n. countable
C2 Proficiency US /ˈkɪɫn/ UK /kˈɪln/ kiln UK spelling kilned, kilning, kilns

n.a special oven that gets very hot. People use it to dry wood, bake bricks, or harden clay pots.

n.a thermally insulated chamber, or oven, in which a controlled temperature regime is produced. Used for hardening, burning, or drying materials such as ceramics, bricks, or timber.


SIMPLE

The artist puts the clay pots into the kiln.

CONTEXTUAL

After the pottery has dried completely, it must be fired in a kiln to become durable and waterproof.

COMPLEX

Industrial kilns used in cement production reach temperatures exceeding 1400 degrees Celsius to facilitate the chemical transformation of limestone into clinker.

This high-temperature firing process works somewhat like baking clay in a kiln, causing the zirconia particles to fuse together and form a dense, hardened material.

ScienceDaily· 23 Aug 2026

Jars recovered from kiln sites generally had broad shoulders, flared rims and relatively compact lower bodies, making them well suited for storing and transporting liquids and fertilizers.

Phys.org· 20 Aug 2026
This entry
Level C2 · Proficiency
Frequency Occasional
Updated