underfired
Syllables: un·der·fir·edUK/ˈʌndəˌfaɪəd//ˈʌndɚˌfaɪ(ə)ɹd/
underfired adjective: fired at a low (or excessively low) temperature. Also the simple past and past participle of underfire.
Adjective
underfired (not generally comparable, comparative more underfired, superlative most underfired)
- Fired at a low (or excessively low) temperature.
- [W]hen the enamel is thick and a little underfired it will be lighter in color and have a pitted surface. Going further, extremely thick areas that are well underfired will be blistered, cracked, or bubbly.1997, Roger A. Wallace, Joseph A. Melaro, “Impact of Physical Characteristics of Water Heater Enamels on Water Resistance”, in Proceedings of the 59th Porcelain Enamel Institute Technical Forum […]...
- In terms of its body composition, Ru ware is essentially a slightly underfired (1200°–1250°C) stoneware with a high-alumina, low-iron clay of typical north Chinese composition.1999, Nigel Wood, “The Stonewares of North China”, in Chinese Glazes: Their Origins, Chemistry, and Recreation, London: A & C Black; Philadelphia, Pa.: University of Pennsylvania Press, →ISBN, page...
- Antonyms:
- overfired
- Of a cooker: having a heat source that is underneath the food being cooked.
- Steak lovers want a charred surface and a rare, even cold, center. A high-tech overfired broiler is the secret. This kind of broiler delivers tremendous heat that is both predictable and consistent. Some establishments use the underfired version, which has the advantage of searing the bits of...2009, Peter Osbaldeston, “Steakhouses”, in The Palm Springs Diner’s Bible: A Restaurant Guide […], Gretna, La.: Pelican Publishing Company, →ISBN, page 250
- Under-fired (under-heated) grills. The heat source for these is underneath the grill. Under-fired grills are used to cook food quickly, so they need to reach a high temperature. This type of grill makes criss-cross marks on the food, known as quadrillage.2014, Keyth Richardson et al., chapter 7, in Basic Cookery for Foundation Learning, London: Hodder Education, →ISBN
- Antonyms:
- overfired
Also used as
underfired is also the simple past and past participle of underfire.
Examples of underfired in a sentence
- An underfired or short-fired piece is likely to break if you attempt to change its shape because it is built of many small particles of silver, joined together at the edges.2010, Kate McKinnon, Sculptural Metal Clay Jewelry: Techniques and Explorations, Loveland, Colo.: Interweave Press, →ISBN, page 27:
- Some old, underfired clay pantiles might be damaged by button mosses rooting in cracks and fissures.2014 October 26, Jeff Howell, “Is the Japanese knotweed threat exaggerated? Our troubleshooter calls for calm about Japanese knotweed in...
- Home grills are underfired; they must be watched carefully.2009, Peter Osbaldeston, “Steakhouses”, in The Palm Springs Diner’s Bible: A Restaurant Guide […], Gretna, La.: Pelican Publishing Company...
Antonyms of underfired
Forms of underfired
| comparative | more underfired |
|---|---|
| superlative | most underfired |
| alternative form | under-fired |
Origin of underfired
From under- (prefix meaning ‘underneath; insufficiently’) + fired, or underfire + -ed.
From underfire + -ed.
Words that rhyme with underfired
Questions about underfired
- What does underfired mean?
- Underfired means fired at a low (or excessively low) temperature.
- How do you use underfired in a sentence?
- An underfired or short-fired piece is likely to break if you attempt to change its shape because it is built of many small particles of silver, joined together at the edges.
- What part of speech is underfired?
- Underfired is an adjective.
- How do you pronounce underfired?
- Underfired is pronounced /ˈʌndəˌfaɪəd/ (UK).
Words near underfired in the dictionary
Source and license
Adapted from Wiktionary: underfired (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.
Last updated:
Pronunciation audio from Wikimedia Commons, each file under its own free license: en-us-underfired.mp3.
Cite this entry: “underfired.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/underfired. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.