Steamy describes something filled with or producing steam, the hot mist that rises when water boils or meets cooler air. A bathroom gets steamy after someone takes a long, hot shower, with moisture coating the mirror and walls. On a cold morning, your breath looks steamy as warm air from your lungs meets the chilly air outside.

The word often suggests warmth, moisture, and a slightly foggy atmosphere. A steamy jungle is hot, humid, and filled with mist clinging to the leaves and trees. A cup of steaming hot chocolate sends wisps of vapor curling into the air on a winter day.

Steamy can also describe something exciting or intense in a way that feels heated. A steamy rivalry between two sports teams means the competition is fierce and passionate. When detectives in a mystery novel uncover steamy secrets, they're discovering information that's intense or dramatic. In this sense, steamy suggests that something has an edge of drama or emotional heat to it, much like the way actual steam indicates something is literally hot.