Word
mist
US/ˈmɪst/
UK/mˈɪst/
Definitions
01weather/atmosphere
B1 · Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. a thin cloud of very small drops of water in the air, similar to a light fog.
n. a mass of fine droplets of water or other liquid suspended in the atmosphere, typically reducing visibility to between 1 and 2 kilometres.
“The morning mist hung over the lake until the sun came out.”
“A thick mist rolled in from the Atlantic, obscuring the jagged coastline and forcing the small fishing vessels to return to the harbour early.”
Antonyms
02a fine spray
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a very fine spray of liquid, like from a bottle or a machine.
n. a fine spray or cloud of liquid particles, often produced mechanically or by a pressurised container.
“The perfume bottle released a light mist of scent when she pressed the top.”
“The cooling system in the greenhouse releases a fine mist of water every hour to maintain the humidity required by the tropical ferns.”
03to spray lightly
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to spray something with very small drops of liquid.
v. to cover a surface with a fine spray of liquid, often to provide moisture without soaking.
“You should mist your indoor plants once a week during the summer.”
“The gardener carefully misted the delicate orchids, ensuring the leaves remained hydrated without allowing water to pool in the roots.”
04to become cloudy
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to become covered with tiny drops of water so you cannot see through it.
v. to become covered with a film of moisture that obscures vision or transparency; often used with 'up'.
“My glasses misted up as soon as I walked into the warm kitchen.”
“The bathroom mirror misted over completely while he was taking a hot shower, leaving him unable to see his reflection.”
Usage
Often used as the phrasal verb 'mist up'.
Antonyms
Etymology
The noun is from Middle English mist, from Old English mist (“mist; darkness; dimness (of eyesight)”), from Proto-Germanic mihstaz (“mist, fog”), from Proto-Indo-European h₃migʰstos, from the root *h₃meygʰ- (“cloud, fog, drizzle”). Cognate with Scots mist (“mist, fog”), West Frisian mist (“mist”), Dutch mist (“mist”), Swedish mist (“mist, fog”), Icelandic mistur (“mist”), West Frisian miegelje (“to drizzle”), Dutch dialectal miggelen, miegelen (“to drizzle”), Lithuanian miglà (“fog”), Sanskrit मेघ (megha, “cloud”), Russian мгла (mgla, “fog, haze”). The verb is from Middle English misten, from Old English mistian.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Related words
Idioms
01. mists of time
02. Scotch mist
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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