atmospherics

[ at-muhs-fer-iks, -feer- ]
See synonyms for atmospherics on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. (used with a plural verb)Radio and Television. noise in a radio receiver or randomly distributed white spots or bands on the screen of a television receiver, caused by interference from natural electromagnetic disturbances in the atmosphere.

  2. (used with a singular verb) the study of such phenomena; sferics.

  1. (used with a plural verb) mood or atmosphere; ambience: The atmospherics of the conference were cordial.

Origin of atmospherics

1
First recorded in 1900–05; see origin at atmospheric, -ics

Words Nearby atmospherics

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How to use atmospherics in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for atmospherics

atmospherics

/ (ˌætməsˈfɛrɪks) /


pl n
  1. electrical disturbances produced in the atmosphere by natural causes such as lightning

  2. radio interference, heard as crackling or hissing in receivers, caused by electrical disturbance

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 atmospherics

atmospherics

[ ăt′mə-sfîrĭks ]


  1. Electromagnetic radiation that is in the same range as radio frequencies and is produced by natural phenomena (such as lightning) and interferes with radio communications.

  2. The radio interference produced by this electromagnetic radiation.

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