English Reference
Adjective

steamy

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ˈstimi/ UK /stˈiːmi/ steamy

adj.filled with steam or very hot and wet. It can also describe a story or movie that has a lot of romantic or sexual scenes.

adj.filled with or emitting steam; characterized by high humidity and heat. In a figurative sense, it describes content involving intense sexual or romantic themes.


SIMPLE

The bathroom was steamy after my long shower.

CONTEXTUAL

We hiked through the steamy jungle, where the air felt thick and heavy with moisture.

COMPLEX

The film received mixed reviews, with critics praising the cinematography but finding the steamy romance between the leads to be a distraction from the main plot.

Usage

Often used predicatively after linking verbs like 'become' or 'get'.


From steam + -y.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated