climate
Americannoun
-
the composite or generally prevailing weather conditions of a region, as temperature, air pressure, humidity, precipitation, sunshine, cloudiness, and winds, throughout the year, averaged over a series of years.
-
a region or area characterized by a given climate.
to move to a warm climate.
-
the prevailing attitudes, standards, or environmental conditions of a group, period, or place.
a climate of political unrest.
- Synonyms:
- temper, tone, spirit, atmosphere, mood
noun
-
the long-term prevalent weather conditions of an area, determined by latitude, position relative to oceans or continents, altitude, etc
-
an area having a particular kind of climate
-
a prevailing trend or current of feeling
the political climate
Usage
Climatic is sometimes wrongly used where climactic is meant. Climatic is properly used to talk about things relating to climate; climactic is used to describe something which forms a climax
Discover More
The climate also is affected by the sun, by changes in the orbit of the Earth, by plate tectonics, and by human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels, which may lead to a greenhouse effect.
Other Word Forms
- climatic adjective
- climatically adverb
- subclimate noun
Etymology
Origin of climate
First recorded in 1350–1400, for an earlier sense; 1595–1605 climate for def. 2; Middle English climat, from Latin clīmat- (stem of clīma ), from Greek klīmat- , stem of klī́ma “slope,” from klī́(nein) “to bend, lean, slope” + -ma, noun suffix
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Caroline joined the Journal from the Guardian, where she served as East Africa global development correspondent, reporting extensively across Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania on issues spanning human rights, technology, climate, culture and politics.
For years, researchers studying the Southern Ocean have pointed to one possible upside in an otherwise troubling climate outlook.
From Science Daily
Federal Judge for the Southern District of Florida, said that district courts are “still functioning,” but warned that her colleagues are growing frightened in the current climate, which she called “very dangerous.”
From Salon
Michael Gerrard, director of Columbia Law School's climate change law center, told AFP the judgment was "devastating."
From Barron's
I believed that we all cared about the same things: climate stability, freedom, safety, justice, basic human rights and dignity for everyone.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
