The Archive

Etymology Journal · L

Looks like it's gonna be a scorcher

Meaning

Used to indicate that the weather is going to be exceptionally hot and humid today. It is a common icebreaker when greeting neighbors on a sweltering summer morning.

Friendly, conversational

Used in a sentence

  • Looks like it is gonna be a scorcher, so keep that water handy.
  • I stepped outside at seven and knew it looks like it is gonna be a scorcher.
  • Turn the AC down low because it looks like it is gonna be a scorcher.

The backstory

Scorcher is a slang term derived from the scorching heat of the sun. It has been used in American colloquialism since the late 1800s to describe heatwaves.

Heard in

Midwest

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