greenhouse gas

American  

[green-hous gas] / ˈgrinˌhaʊs ˌgæs /

noun

greenhouse gases plural

1. any of the gases whose absorption of solar radiation is responsible for the greenhouse effect, including carbon dioxide, methane, ozone, and the fluorocarbons.

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greenhouse gas British  

noun

1. any gas that contributes to the greenhouse effect

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greenhouse gas Scientific  

1. Any of the atmospheric gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation produced by solar warming of the Earth's surface. They include carbon dioxide (CO ₂), methane (CH ₄), nitrous oxide (N ₂ O), and water vapor. Although greenhouse gases occur naturally in the atmosphere, the elevated levels especially of carbon dioxide and methane that have been observed in recent decades are directly related, at least in part, to human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels and the deforestation of tropical forests.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• greenhouse gases
  plural

Etymology

Origin of greenhouse gas

First recorded in 1980–85

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

greenhouse gas

The bloc wants to reduce emissions of methane because it is a potent greenhouse gas that traps heat in the atmosphere.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026

The European Union has unveiled proposals that would slow cuts to businesses' greenhouse gas emissions limits, as part of a major climate policy overhaul.

From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026

Melillo notes that future warming will depend largely on actions taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 14, 2026

Easy to order and replace, fast fashion items contribute to pollution from the textile industry, which accounts for nearly 10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

From Barron's ● Jun. 29, 2026

During this period, plastic increasingly filled landfills and oceans while its production—up to 8 million tons annually by 2020—contributed to air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

From "The First State of Being" by Erin Entrada Kelly