a large closed metal vessel or machine that heats water to produce steam or hot water for central heating, power generation, or other uses
The old boiler in the basement stopped working during the snowstorm.
Engineers inspected the factory’s steam boiler for cracks before restarting production.
✦ mid-17th century: from boil + -er, originally referring to a pot for boiling; later extended to industrial steam-generating units
a large metal pot used for boiling food such as shellfish, corn, or soup
She lifted the crab boiler off the stove and drained the spicy broth.
At the picnic, they cooked corn in a huge outdoor boiler over an open fire.
✦ same origin as primary sense: from boil + -er, in this case referring to a cooking vessel
