chauffer

to heat, to warm up

verb sho-FEH Less Common

Origin: Old French 'chaufer', from Latin 'calefacere'

Also means

to warm up (engine, crowd)

Usage Note

Chauffer covers heating a room (chauffer la maison), warming food, and warming up an engine or a crowd (chauffer le public = to warm up the audience). Se chauffer means to warm oneself (se chauffer au feu de cheminée). The noun chauffeur originally meant 'one who heats (an engine)' before cars replaced steam vehicles.

Examples

"Elle chauffe le four avant d'enfourner le pain."

Natural Translation

She heats the oven before putting the bread in.

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