Word of the Day 7 August 2026

fired

Heated in a furnace, kiln, etc., to become permanently hardened.

Why this one

One syllable covering an entirely irreversible transformation. Nothing that has been fired can be unfired.

In use

Don't touch the tolerances yet, they've been fired so the shrinkage is already in them; measure what came out of the kiln.

Written by our editors to show how the term is used, not a recorded quotation.

Sources