# Why is there no nickname for "microwave"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 7, 2007, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-nickname-for-microwave/425497 "2007-11-07T01:40:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2007, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-nickname-for-microwave/425497/1 "2007-11-07T01:40:43Z")
Television became “TV.” Air conditioner became “AC.” Refrigerator became “fridge.” _To_ microwave is “zap,” but the appliance itself has no commonly accepted nickname or abbreviation. Why not? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2007, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-nickname-for-microwave/425497/2 "2007-11-07T01:42:35Z")
I’ve heard it called both a “mike” and a “nuker.” The former is much more prevalent, IME. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2007, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-nickname-for-microwave/425497/3 "2007-11-07T01:45:39Z")
Whenever an initialization would include “W” it’s usually easier to say the original word. That doesn’t explain other possible abbreviations, though. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2007, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-nickname-for-microwave/425497/4 "2007-11-07T01:54:06Z")
No one uses “micro” where you’re from? I’ve heard “put it in the micro” plenty of times… ---
**Author:** ![WF\_Tomba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d9b06d/32.png) [@WF\_Tomba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WF_Tomba)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2007, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-nickname-for-microwave/425497/5 "2007-11-07T01:55:22Z")
_Microwave_ is itself a nickname. The full name is _microwave oven_. ---
**Author:** ![swampbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampbear/32/467_2.png) [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2007, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-nickname-for-microwave/425497/6 "2007-11-07T01:56:49Z")
Nuker is what I’ve always called it. I know it’s not really nukin’ but its fun to talk about nukin’ foodstuff. ---
**Author:** ![Fetchund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b2d939/32.png) [@Fetchund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fetchund)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2007, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-nickname-for-microwave/425497/7 "2007-11-07T02:01:10Z")
I’ve always called it a nuker, too… The verb is “to nuke” ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2007, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-nickname-for-microwave/425497/8 "2007-11-07T02:04:16Z")
Okay, “nuke” is as common as “zap” for the verb – I’ve never heard it called either a nuker or a zapper, though. Esp. since “zapper” is a remote control. Never heard it called a mike, though that makes sense. Or a micro. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2007, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-nickname-for-microwave/425497/9 "2007-11-07T02:21:47Z")
I usually hear “clicker” for remote control, thus leaving “zapper” available for a microwave. ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2007, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-nickname-for-microwave/425497/10 "2007-11-07T02:22:12Z")
Never a “nuker”. Always a “nuke” “Micro” is fairly popular in spanish, but that is not what you are asking. ---
**Author:** ![fisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@fisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fisha)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2007, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-nickname-for-microwave/425497/11 "2007-11-07T02:23:08Z")
Mike is common here. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Dave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/46a35a/32.png) [@Great\_Dave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Dave)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2007, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-nickname-for-microwave/425497/12 "2007-11-07T02:24:14Z")
Mike and micro are obvious, no? ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2007, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-nickname-for-microwave/425497/13 "2007-11-07T02:32:47Z")
Never heard “micro” or “mike.” We do, however, nuke food in the nuker. Or sometimes, and just for fun, the “nukerator.” 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2007, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-nickname-for-microwave/425497/14 "2007-11-07T02:41:06Z")
[QUOTE=garygnu] I usually hear “clicker” for remote control, thus leaving “zapper” available for a microwave. [/Quote] For me, a “clicker” is a remote control. A “zapper” is a blueish light that kills bugs. A microwave is just a microwave ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2007, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-nickname-for-microwave/425497/15 "2007-11-07T02:48:36Z")
[QUOTE=twickster] Refrigerator became “fridge.” [/QUOTE] No, actually “fridge” comes from Frigidaire, a brand name for one manufacturer’s refrigerators. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2007, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-nickname-for-microwave/425497/16 "2007-11-07T02:51:50Z")
[QUOTE=t-bonham@scc.net] No, actually “fridge” comes from Frigidaire, a brand name for one manufacturer’s refrigerators. [/QUOTE] Maybe, maybe not – but the fact of the matter is there’s a one-syllable nickname for the appliance. ---
**Author:** ![drewbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drewbert/32/15890_2.png) [@drewbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewbert)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2007, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-nickname-for-microwave/425497/17 "2007-11-07T03:02:33Z")
Nobody else pops it in the 'wave? ---
**Author:** ![Meeko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Meeko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meeko)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2007, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-nickname-for-microwave/425497/18 "2007-11-07T03:11:29Z")
I will go one further, I have been known to put “Microwave Dinners” down on my shopping list as simply “Nukers” Hey. I’m College aged. Ok, I’m 25, and I graduate in Decemeber. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2007, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-nickname-for-microwave/425497/19 "2007-11-07T03:11:17Z")
[QUOTE=Q.E.D.] I’ve heard it called both a “mike” and a “nuker.” The former is much more prevalent, IME. [/QUOTE] Nuker is what we use to called it. I haven’t heard that for quite some time though. I figured it fell out of use. Are remotes still commonly called clickers? That use to be common, but it is not like they click any more. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2007, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-nickname-for-microwave/425497/20 "2007-11-07T03:12:52Z")
“Mike” baffles me, because “mike” = microphone. If someone told me to pop the leftovers in the mike, I would be totally lost. I nuke foods that I put in the microwave, but calling it a “nuker” feels weird to me. Just can’t do it. I either say “microwave” (as in, “Put it in the microwave” or “Microwave it”) or “nuke it.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-nickname-for-microwave/425497.md?page=2)