This is the 8975th most frequent French word.
chauffe
"Chauffe" means "heats" or "is heating."
In this sentence, 'chauffe' appears as part of the compound noun 'chauffe-eau', meaning 'water heater'. It is derived from the verb 'chauffer', which means 'to heat'.
Le chauffe-eau fournit de l'eau chaude pour toute la maison.
The water heater supplies hot water for the entire house.
Here, 'chauffe' is used figuratively to indicate it is causing intense focus or effort, metaphorically heating the brain idea.
Cette question me chauffe vraiment le cerveau.
This question really works my brain.
Usage here shows 'chauffe' as the third person singular present tense of 'chauffer', describing an action where the pan becomes hot.