What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
calefaction
Example
The calefaction of water is necessary to boil it. [calefaction: noun]
Example
The chemist studied the calefaction of metals to understand their properties. [calefaction: noun]
heating
Example
We need to turn on the heating because it's cold in here. [heating: noun]
Example
She is heating up some soup for dinner. [heating: verb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Heating is more commonly used than calefaction in everyday language. Heating is a familiar term that is widely used to describe the process of raising the temperature of a space or object for comfort or warmth. In contrast, calefaction is less common and is typically used in more specialized or technical contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between calefaction and heating?
While calefaction is associated with a more formal and technical tone, heating is more informal and can be used in both formal and informal contexts.