humidity

[hyoo-mid-i-tee, yoo-]

noun

1. humid condition; moistness; dampness.

2. relative humidity.

3. an uncomfortably high amount of relative humidity.

   It's not the heat, it's the humidity that tires me out.

humidity

/ hjuːˈmɪdɪtɪ /

noun

1. the state of being humid; dampness

2. a measure of the amount of moisture in the air See relative humidity absolute humidity

humidity

1. The amount of water vapor in the atmosphere, usually expressed as either absolute humidity or relative humidity.

humidity

1. The amount of water vapor in the air. Humidity is measured in two ways: (1) Absolute humidity is the percentage of water vapor actually present in the air. (2) Relative humidity is the absolute humidity divided by the amount of water that could be present in the air. Relative humidity indicates the degree of comfort or discomfort one feels from the humidity, because it indicates the amount of perspiration that can evaporate from the skin.

Word History and Origins

Origin of humidity¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English humydite, from Latin (h)ūmiditās; equivalent to humid + -ity

Example Sentences

“The combinations of temperature and humidity we are seeing this summer on average in New York City are comparable to summertime stickiness in Florida,” Casey Ivanovich, the inventor of the stickiness index, said.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Heat and humidity can affect the court speed, and balls and string technology also play a significant part.

Read more on BBC

The key stories in a race that was designated Formula 1's first 'heat hazard' grand prix, testing the drivers to the limit in temperatures of 30C and humidity of 72%, were:

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The FIA declared the Singapore race a 'heat hazard' because it surpasses an index that combines high temperatures with high humidity.

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The idea of a driver-cooling system was intimated after the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix, when heat and humidity left several drivers on the brink of collapse.

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Related Words

• evaporation 
• moisture 

When To Use

What does humidity mean?

Humidity is the state of air when it’s full of water vapor.Humidity is the noun form of the adjective humid, which is used to describe moist air—air that’s full of water vapor.Humidity is most commonly used in reference to weather or the general climate of a place, especially when the temperature is hot.Example: The humidity here in summertime is almost unbearable.