Other forms: scalding, scalded, scalds
A scald is a burn caused by hot liquid or steam. A steam scald, scalded her hand, treat the scald.
It is distinguished from a burn by the cause, and hot drinks are the commonest source in small children. Twenty minutes of cool running water is the first aid, and everything else — ice, butter, creams — makes it worse. Note that the Latin behind it means to bathe in hot water.
1nounscaldA burn caused by hot liquid or steam.
“She got a nasty scald on her arm when the kettle tipped over.”
2verbburnTo burn with hot liquid.
“Be careful with the kettle, or you'll scald your hand on the steam.”
scald is a burn.
Old French escalder comes from Latin excaldare, to bathe in hot water, from calidus, hot. Cauldron and chowder are relatives.
Middle English
scalden
English, today
scald
From Middle English scalden. From Middle English scalden, assumed to stem from fro-nor escalder (compare central Old French eschauder), from Latin excaldo (“bathe in hot water”), from ex- + caldus. Cognate with gmq-osw skalda, skolda, skolla, skala, Swedish skålla, Danish skolde, Norwegian skålda, skaalda, Icelandic skálda.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA
Practised in Emergency & Rescue