absolute humidity

noun

1. the mass of water vapor present in a unit volume of moist air.

absolute humidity

noun

1. the humidity of the atmosphere, usually expressed as the number of grams of water contained in 1 cubic metre of air Compare relative humidity

absolute humidity

1. The amount of water vapor that is present in a unit volume of air, usually expressed in grams per cubic meter. Absolute humidity does not fluctuate with the temperature of the air.
2. Compare relative humidity

Word History and Origins

Origin of absolute humidity¹

First recorded in 1865–70

Example Sentences

Existing methods for generating meteorological data do not adequately handle the interdependence of meteorological elements, such as solar radiation, air temperature, and absolute humidity, which are important for calculating energy usage and efficiency.

From Science Daily

“When absolute humidity gets lower, aerosolized droplets containing virus tend to contain less water too. They become smaller, lighter, and they can travel farther.”

From Los Angeles Times

“As the days get shorter in the winter and the air is cooler, it holds less water on average, and the absolute humidity in the air tends to be lower,” Ferrer said.

From Los Angeles Times

Relative humidity should not be confused with absolute humidity.

From Fox News

This differs from absolute humidity, which is a measure of the actual amount of water vapor in the air, regardless of its temperature.

From Fox News