climate

[ klahy-mit ]
See synonyms for climate on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. 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.

  2. a region or area characterized by a given climate: to move to a warm climate.

  1. the prevailing attitudes, standards, or environmental conditions of a group, period, or place: a climate of political unrest.

Origin of climate

1
First recorded in 1350–1400, for an earlier sense; 1595–1605 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

Other words for climate

Other words from climate

  • sub·cli·mate, noun

Words Nearby climate

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How to use climate in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for climate

climate

/ (ˈklaɪmɪt) /


noun
  1. the long-term prevalent weather conditions of an area, determined by latitude, position relative to oceans or continents, altitude, etc

  2. an area having a particular kind of climate

  1. a prevailing trend or current of feeling: the political climate

Origin of climate

1
C14: from Late Latin clima, from Greek klima inclination, region; related to Greek klinein to lean

usage For climate

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

Derived forms of climate

  • climatic (klaɪˈmætɪk), climatical or climatal, adjective
  • climatically, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for climate

climate

[ klīmĭt ]


  1. The general or average weather conditions of a certain region, including temperature, rainfall, and wind. On Earth, climate is most affected by latitude, the tilt of the Earth's axis, the movements of the Earth's wind belts, the difference in temperatures of land and sea, and topography. Human activity, especially relating to actions relating to the depletion of the ozone layer, is also an important factor.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Cultural definitions for climate

climate

A region's usual weather patterns. The climate at any point on Earth is determined by things such as the general movement of the atmosphere, the proximity of the oceans, and the altitude of the location.

Notes for climate

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.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.