atmosphere
Americannoun
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the gaseous envelope surrounding the earth; the air.
a weather balloon rising high into the atmosphere.
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this medium at a given place.
the warm, dry atmosphere of the Joshua tree's natural environment.
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Astronomy. the gaseous envelope surrounding a heavenly body.
The white ovals seen in Saturn's atmosphere could be intense storms.
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Chemistry. any gaseous envelope or medium.
The ether was treated with a sulfate in an atmosphere of coal gas.
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a conventional unit of pressure, the normal pressure of the air at sea level, about 14.7 pounds per square inch (101.3 kilopascals), equal to the pressure exerted by a column of mercury 29.92 inches (760 millimeters) high. atm.
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a surrounding or pervading mood, environment, or influence.
an atmosphere of impending war;
a very tense atmosphere.
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the dominant mood or emotional tone of a work of art, as of a play or novel.
the chilly atmosphere of a ghost story.
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a distinctive quality, as of a place; character.
The old part of town has lots of atmosphere.
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Radio, Television, Movies. Also atmospheres, atmos the background sound that is present, or would naturally be present, in the location where a recording or broadcast is made, often recorded as a separate track and then mixed; ambient sound.
verb (used with object)
noun
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the gaseous envelope surrounding the earth or any other celestial body See also troposphere stratosphere mesosphere ionosphere
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the air or climate in a particular place
the atmosphere was thick with smoke
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a general pervasive feeling or mood
an atmosphere of elation
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the prevailing tone or mood of a novel, symphony, painting, or other work of art
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a special mood or character associated with a place
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any local gaseous environment or medium
an inert atmosphere
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Abbreviation: at. atm. a unit of pressure; the pressure that will support a column of mercury 760 mm high at 0°C at sea level. 1 atmosphere is equivalent to 101 325 newtons per square metre or 14.72 pounds per square inch
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The mixture of gases surrounding the Earth or other celestial body, held in place by gravity. It forms distinct layers at different heights. The Earth's atmosphere consists, in ascending order, of the troposphere (containing 90% of the atmosphere's mass), the stratosphere, the mesosphere, the thermosphere, and the exosphere. The atmosphere is composed primarily of nitrogen (78%) and oxygen (21%) and plays a major role in the water cycle, the nitrogen cycle, and the carbon cycle.
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See more at exosphere mesosphere stratosphere thermosphere troposphere
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A unit of pressure equal to the pressure of the air at sea level, about 14.7 pounds per square inch, or 1,013 millibars.
Discover More
The atmosphere of the Earth is roughly eighty percent nitrogen and twenty percent oxygen, with traces of other gases. (See ionosphere, stratosphere, and troposphere.)
Other Word Forms
- atmosphereless adjective
- atmospheric adjective
- atmospherically adverb
Etymology
Origin of atmosphere
From the New Latin word atmosphaera, dating back to 1630–40. See atmo-, -sphere
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.
One of the most valuable aspects of Bennu samples is that they have remained untouched by Earth's atmosphere and environment.
From Science Daily
This part of the journey will last approximately three or four days, punctuated by re-entry into the atmosphere -- one of the mission's most delicate maneuvers.
From Barron's
This saw the capsule dip into the upper atmosphere, briefly climb again, then plunge back in so as to best cope with the heat, G-forces and splashdown accuracy needed.
From BBC
Northern Ireland's travelling contingent did their best to generate a lively atmosphere, but there is only so much 300 people can do.
From BBC
On one where Armstrong flew above Earth’s atmosphere, he struggled to trigger a safety system designed to limit the intense forces pilots experience and overshot his runway by about 45 miles, ending up over Pasadena.
From Los Angeles Times
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.
