What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

What is the difference between heat and warm?

heat | warm |

As nouns the difference between heat and warm

is that heat is (uncountable) thermal energy while warm is (colloquial) the act of warming, or the state of being warmed; a heating.

As verbs the difference between heat and warm

is that heat is to cause an increase in temperature of an object or space; to cause something to become hot; often with "up" while warm is to make or keep.

As a adjective warm is

having a temperature slightly higher than usual, but still pleasant; a mild temperature.

heat

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) hete, from (etyl) .

Noun

  • (uncountable) Thermal energy.
  • * 2007 , James Shipman, Jerry Wilson, Aaron Todd, An Introduction to Physical Science: Twelfth Edition , pages 106–108:
  • Heat' and temperature, although different, are intimately related. [...] For example, suppose you added equal amounts of ' heat to equal masses of iron and aluminum. How do you think their temperatures would change?if the temperature of the iron increased by 100 C°, the corresponding temperature change in the aluminum would be only 48 C°.
  • * {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=July-August, author=(Henry Petroski)
  • , title= Geothermal Energy , volume=101, issue=4, magazine=(American Scientist) , passage=Energy has seldom been found where we need it when we want it. Ancient nomads, wishing to ward off the evening chill and enjoy a meal around a campfire, had to collect wood and then spend time and effort coaxing the heat of friction out from between sticks to kindle a flame.}}
  • (uncountable) The condition or quality of being hot.
  • (uncountable) An attribute of a spice that causes a burning sensation in the mouth.
  • (uncountable) A period of intensity, particularly of emotion.
  • (uncountable) An undesirable amount of attention.
  • (uncountable, slang) The police.
  • (uncountable, slang) One or more firearms.
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • (countable, baseball) A fastball.
  • (uncountable) A condition where a mammal is aroused sexually or where it is especially fertile and therefore eager to mate.
  • (countable) A preliminary race, used to determine the participants in a final race
  • (countable) One cycle of bringing metal to maximum temperature and working it until it is too cool to work further.
  • (countable) A hot spell.
  • (uncountable) Heating system; a system that raises the temperature of a room or building.
  • (uncountable) The output of a heating system.
  • Derived terms
    * heat capacity * heat death * heat engine * heat exchanger * heat lamp * heatproof * heat pump * heat rash * heat-resistant * heat-seeking * heat shield * heat sink * heatstroke * heat treatment * heatwave * in heat * on heat

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) heten, from (etyl) .

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To cause an increase in temperature of an object or space; to cause something to become hot (often with "up").
  • I'll heat up the water.
  • To excite or make hot by action or emotion; to make feverish.
  • * Shakespeare:
  • Pray, walk softly; do not heat your blood.
  • To excite ardour in; to rouse to action; to excite to excess; to inflame, as the passions.
  • * Dryden:
  • A noble emulation heats your breast.
  • To arouse, to excite (sexually).
  • The massage heated her up.
    Synonyms
    * stoke * warm up * heat up; hot up,

    warm

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) (m), (m), from (etyl) (m), from (etyl) , with different proposed origins:
  • (etyl) .
  • (etyl) .
  • The dispute is due to differing opinions on how initial Proto-Indo-European *g??- evolved in Germanic: some think that *g?? would have turned to *b, and that the root *g??er- would instead have given rise to burn etc. Some have also proposed a merger of the two roots. The term is cognate with (etyl) (m), (etyl)/(etyl)/(etyl) (m), (etyl)/(etyl)/(etyl) (m) and (etyl)/(etyl) (m).

    Adjective

    (er)
  • Having a temperature slightly higher than usual, but still pleasant; mildly hot.
  • The tea is still warm .
    This is a very warm room.
  • * Longfellow
  • Warm and still is the summer night.
  • * 1985 , Robert Ferro, Blue Star
  • It seemed I was too excited for sleep, too warm , too young.
  • Caring and friendly, of relations to another person.
  • We have a warm friendship .
  • Having a color in the red-orange-yellow part of the visible electromagnetic spectrum.
  • Close, often used in the context of a game in which "warm" and "cold" are used to indicate nearness to the goal.
  • * Black
  • Here, indeed, young Mr. Dowse was getting "warm ", as children say at blindman's buff.
  • (archaic) Ardent, zealous.
  • a warm debate, with strong words exchanged
  • * Milton
  • Mirth, and youth, and warm desire!
  • * Alexander Pope
  • Each warm wish springs mutual from the heart.
  • * Addison
  • They say he's a warm man and does not care to be made mouths at.
  • * Hawthorne
  • I had been none of the warmest of partisans.
  • * 1776 , Edward Gibbon, The History of The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire , Chapter 1
  • To the strength and fierceness of barbarians they added a contempt for life, which was derived from a warm persuasion of the immortality and transmigration of the soul.
  • (archaic) Being well off as to property, or in good circumstances; rich.
  • * Washington Irving
  • warm householders, every one of them
  • * Goldsmith
  • You shall have a draft upon him, payable at sight: and let me tell you he as warm a man as any within five miles round him.
    Synonyms
    * See also * See also
    Antonyms
    * (mild temperature) arctic, cold, cool, frozen * (caring) arctic, cold, cool, frozen
    Derived terms
    * * lukewarm * warmhearted/warm-hearted * warmish * warmly * warm up / warm-up
    See also
    * heated * hot * steamy * temperature * tepid

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) (m).

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To make or keep .
  • * Bible, Isaiah xliv. 15
  • Then shall it [an ash tree] be for a man to burn; for he will take thereof and warm himself.
  • * Longfellow
  • enough to warm , but not enough to burn
  • To become warm, to heat up.
  • The earth soon warms on a clear summer day.
  • To favour increasingly.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham), title=(The China Governess)
  • , chapter=5 citation , passage=Mr. Campion appeared suitably impressed and she warmed to him. He was very easy to talk to with those long clown lines in his pale face, a natural goon, born rather too early she suspected.}}
  • To become ardent or animated.
  • The speaker warms as he proceeds.
  • To make engaged or earnest; to interest; to engage; to excite ardor or zeal; to enliven.
  • * Alexander Pope
  • I formerly warmed my head with reading controversial writings.
  • * Keble
  • Bright hopes, that erst bosom warmed .
    Derived terms
    * like death warmed over

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (colloquial) The act of warming, or the state of being warmed; a heating.
  • (Dickens)
    Shall I give your coffee a warm in the microwave?

    Statistics

    * 1000 English basic words ----