English · Word Candidate

stove

/stəʊv/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: stoves · stoving · stoved

Sense 1

Meaning · English

A heater, a closed apparatus to burn fuel for the warming of a room.

Noun

Examples

1815 Robertson Buchanan, Appendix to A Treatise on the Economy of Fuel, and Management of Heat, Especially as it Relates to Heating and Drying by Means of Steam. p. 309. [I]n the countries of modern Europe, the use of stoves prevail throughout the north; while in France and Great Britain, open fires

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

A device for heating food, (UK) a cooker.

Noun

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Meaning · English

To heat or dry, as in a stove.

Verb

Examples

to stove feathers

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 4

Meaning · English

To keep warm, in a house or room, by artificial heat.

Verb

Examples

to stove orange trees

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “stove” mean?

A heater, a closed apparatus to burn fuel for the warming of a room.

Is “stove” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.