thermal

[ thur-muhl ]

adjective

1. Also of, relating to, or caused by heat or temperature:

   Buildings and sealed surfaces have a higher thermal capacity than soil and give up their heat more slowly at night.

   We speed up composting using a thermal treatment.

2. of or relating to hot springs or hot baths:

   The bubbly, hot spring pool derives its name from the character of its thermal waters.

3. designed to aid in or promote the retention of body heat:

   We keep a thermal blanket in the car during winter, just in case.

noun

1. Meteorology. a rising air current caused by heating from the underlying surface, especially such a current when not producing a cloud.
2. thermal energy ( def ).
3. thermals. thermal underwear ( def ).

thermal

/ ˈθɜːməl /

adjective

1. Alsothermicˈθɜːmɪk of, relating to, caused by, or generating heat or increased temperature
2. hot or warm

   thermal spring

   thermal baths

3. (of garments or fabrics) specially designed so as to have exceptional heat-retaining properties

noun

1. meteorol a column of rising air caused by local unequal heating of the land surface, and used by gliders and birds to gain height
2. plural thermal garments, esp underclothes

thermal

/ thûr′məl /

Adjective

1. Relating to heat.

Noun

1. A usually columnar mass of warm air that rises in the lower atmosphere because it is less dense than the air around it. Thermals form because the ground surface is heated unevenly by the Sun. The air usually rises until it is in equilibrium with the air surrounding it.

Derived Forms

• ˈthermally, adverb

Other Words From

• ther·mal·ly adverb
• hy·per·ther·mal adjective
• hy·per·ther·mal·ly adverb
• non·ther·mal adjective
• non·ther·mal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of thermal¹

First recorded in 1750–60; therm- + -al ¹

Example Sentences

Williams An Ohio- based corporation that works in the electrical and thermal insulation industry.

From The Daily Beast

Body parts, food, and appliances seen with a thermal imaging camera.

From The Daily Beast

Much of the surface of Mars is covered in fine sand and dust, both of which have low thermal inertia.

From The Daily Beast

Thermal maps of Earth reveal a lot about the past and present, including changing conditions under climate change.

From The Daily Beast

That measure is known as thermal inertia, and it provides information far beyond what we can get from visible light alone.

From The Daily Beast

The temples were usually hygienically located near thermal springs or fountains and among groves.

From Project Gutenberg

We come now to the third point in question, the thermal influence of woods upon the air above them.

From Project Gutenberg

The whole actual amount of thermal influence, however, is so small that I may rest satisfied with mere mention.

From Project Gutenberg

But the one will have absorbed but 63∕4 British thermal units, while the other will have absorbed 91∕2.

From Project Gutenberg

Yet that region is not considered any less safe to visit because of the presence of these thermal phenomena.

From Project Gutenberg