Word forms: plural vapoursregional note: in AM, use vapor
variable noun
Vapour consists of tiny drops of water or other liquids in the air, which appear as mist.
...water vapour.
Synonyms: mist, fog, haze, smoke More Synonyms of vapour
vapour in British English
or US vapor (ˈveɪpə)
noun
1.
particles of moisture or other substance suspended in air and visible as clouds, smoke, etc
2.
a gaseous substance at a temperature below its critical temperature
Compare gas (sense 3)
3.
a substance that is in a gaseous state at a temperature below its boiling point
4. rare
something fanciful that lacks substance or permanence
5. the vapours
verb
6.
to evaporate or cause to evaporate; vaporize
7. (intransitive)
to make vain empty boasts; brag
Derived forms
vapourable (ˈvapourable) or US vaporable (ˈvaporable)
adjective
vapourability (ˌvapouraˈbility) or US vaporability (ˌvaporaˈbility)
noun
vapourer (ˈvapourer) or US vaporer (ˈvaporer)
noun
vapourish (ˈvapourish) or US vaporish (ˈvaporish)
adjective
vapourless (ˈvapourless) or US vaporless (ˈvaporless)
adjective
vapour-like (ˈvapour-ˌlike) or US vapor-like (ˈvapor-ˌlike)
adjective
vapoury (ˈvapoury) or US vapory (ˈvapory)
adjective
Word origin
C14: from Latin vapor
vapour in American English
(ˈveɪpər)
noun, verb intransitive, verb transitive
British
vapor
Examples of 'vapour' in a sentence
vapour
Planes dragging vapour trails coming in from across the world.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Then you inhale the vapour using a glass straw.
The Sun (2014)
Most likely it has been taken in by the inhalation of mercury vapour.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The problem was solved by adding mercury vapour lamps to the towers to enhance the blues and greens.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
It was not unusual to see vapour trails when V2 rockets were launched.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
They are guilty about the carbon vapour trail left by their cranberry sauce as it came over from America.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
A vapour trail was left behind.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Then one day she saw a flight of military planes zoom past, and thought that their vapour trails made a wonderful aerial drawing.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
And perhaps the tempo of the game has been set, with the vapour trails of Friday still hanging over the stadium.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The vapour trail - made up of soot and tiny ice crystals - seemed to act as a catalyst for more clouds to form.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The battery-powered devices produce a vapour with a small amount if nicotine that can be inhaled, without the toxic elements of a cigarette.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
In other languages
vapour
British English: vapour NOUN
Vapour consists of tiny drops of water or other liquids in the air, which appear as mist.
...water vapour.
American English: vapor
Brazilian Portuguese: vapor
Chinese: 蒸汽
European Spanish: vapor
French: vapeur
German: Dampf
Italian: vapore
Japanese: 蒸気
Korean: 증기
European Portuguese: vapor
Latin American Spanish: vapor
All related terms of 'vapour'
vapour bath
the act of bathing in vapour , formerly believed to have medicinal benefits
vapour lock
a stoppage in a pipe carrying a liquid caused by a bubble of gas, esp such a stoppage caused by vaporization of the petrol in the pipe feeding the carburettor of an internal-combustion engine
vapour trail
A vapour trail is a white line of water vapour left in the sky by an aeroplane , a rocket , or a missile .
water vapour
water in the gaseous state, esp when due to evaporation at a temperature below the boiling point
vapour density
the ratio of the density of a gas or vapour to that of hydrogen at the same temperature and pressure
vapour pressure
the pressure exerted by a vapour . The saturated vapour pressure is that exerted by a vapour in equilibrium with its solid or liquid phase at a particular temperature
sodium-vapour lamp
a type of electric lamp consisting of a glass tube containing neon and sodium vapour at low pressure through which an electric current is passed to give an orange light. They are used in street lighting
mercury-vapour lamp
a lamp in which an electric discharge through a low pressure of mercury vapour is used to produce a greenish-blue light. It is used for street lighting and is also a source of ultraviolet radiation
vapor load
A vapor load is the amount of a vapor which goes into or comes out of a stage in a distillation process.
condensation trail
a visible trail left by an aircraft flying at high altitude or through supercold air, caused by the deposition of water vapour in the engine exhaust as minute ice crystals
vapor cloud
A vapor cloud is vapor which has gathered in one place.
vapor channeling
Vapor channeling exists when vapor flow is distributed in an unequal way in a distillation vessel or stage .
sodium lamp
a type of electric lamp consisting of a glass tube containing neon and sodium vapour at low pressure through which an electric current is passed to give an orange light. They are used in street lighting
Chinese translation of 'vapour'
vapour
or (US) vapor
(ˈveɪpəʳ)
n(c/u)
蒸汽 (zhēngqì)
(noun)
Definition
a mass of tiny drops of water or other liquids in the air, which appear as a mist
a cloud of poisonous vapour
Synonyms
mist
Thick mist made flying impossible.
fog
The crash happened in thick fog.
haze
Dan smiled at him through a haze of smoke and steaming coffee.
smoke
breath
A breath of cooking smell crept to her from the kitchen.
steam
The heat converts water into high-pressure steam.
fumes
dampness
miasma
exhalation
These plants give off a poisonous exhalation at night.
Additional synonyms
in the sense of breath
Definition
the vapour, heat, or odour of air breathed out
A breath of cooking smell crept to her from the kitchen.
Synonyms
odour,
smell,
aroma,
whiff,
vapour,
niff (British, slang)
in the sense of exhalation
These plants give off a poisonous exhalation at night.
Synonyms
emission,
fume,
exhaust,
smoke,
steam,
discharge,
mist,
fog,
vapour,
evaporation,
emanation,
effluvium
in the sense of fog
Definition
a mass of droplets of condensed water vapour suspended in the air, often greatly reducing visibility
The crash happened in thick fog.
Synonyms
mist,
gloom,
haze,
smog,
murk,
miasma,
murkiness,
peasouper (informal)
Synonyms of 'vapour'
vapour
Explore 'vapour' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of haze
Definition
reduced visibility as a result of condensed water vapour, dust, etc., in the air
Dan smiled at him through a haze of smoke and steaming coffee.