Word
sunburn
Phoneticssun·burn, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈsənˌbɝn/
UK/sˈʌnbɜːn/
Definitions
01skin condition
B1 · Intermediate Uncountable noun Medicine
n. red, painful skin caused by spending too much time in the sun without protection.
n. an inflammation of the skin caused by overexposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun.
“She had a nasty sunburn on her shoulders after a day at the beach.”
“The patient presented with a severe sunburn and mild dehydration after neglecting to reapply sunscreen during the hike.”
Synonyms
02to get burned by the sun
B1 · Intermediate
v. to get red, painful skin because you stayed in the sun too long.
v. to suffer from or cause a sunburn through exposure to ultraviolet rays.
“I tend to sunburn easily, so I always wear a hat and long sleeves.”
“If you stay out in this heat without any shade, you will sunburn within twenty minutes.”
Antonyms
03damage to plants
C2 · Proficiency Uncountable noun Technical
n. damage to the leaves or fruit of a plant caused by too much direct sunlight.
n. a physiological disorder in plants where fruit or foliage is damaged by intense solar radiation.
“The tomatoes developed white patches of sunburn during the record-breaking heatwave.”
“Orchard managers often apply protective sprays to prevent sunburn on sensitive apple varieties during peak summer months.”
Synonyms
Etymology
From Middle English sunne burnen, sonne brennen, *sunne brennen (suggested by derivatives sonne brennynge, sunne brennynge (“sunburn”, literally “sun-burning”) and sunne brente (“sunburnt”), equivalent to sun + burn. Compare West Frisian sinnebrân (“sunburn”), Dutch zonnebrand (“sunburn”), German Sonnenbrand (“sunburn”), Swedish solbränna (“sunburn”), and Icelandic sólbruni (“sunburn”), as well as Old English sunbryne (“sunburn”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- 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
- Occasional
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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