atmosphere

[at-muhs-feer]

noun

1. the gaseous envelope surrounding the earth; the air.

   a weather balloon rising high into the atmosphere.

2. this medium at a given place.

   the warm, dry atmosphere of the Joshua tree's natural environment.

3. Astronomy.,  the gaseous envelope surrounding a heavenly body.

   The white ovals seen in Saturn's atmosphere could be intense storms.

4. Chemistry.,  any gaseous envelope or medium.

   The ether was treated with a sulfate in an atmosphere of coal gas.

5. 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.

6. a surrounding or pervading mood, environment, or influence.

   an atmosphere of impending war;

   a very tense atmosphere.

7. the dominant mood or emotional tone of a work of art, as of a play or novel.

   the chilly atmosphere of a ghost story.

8. a distinctive quality, as of a place; character.

   The old part of town has lots of atmosphere.

9. 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)

atmosphered, atmosphering 

1. to give an atmosphere to.

   The author had cleverly atmosphered the novel for added chills.

atmosphere

/ ˈætməsˌfɪə /

noun

1. the gaseous envelope surrounding the earth or any other celestial body See also troposphere stratosphere mesosphere ionosphere

2. the air or climate in a particular place

   the atmosphere was thick with smoke

3. a general pervasive feeling or mood

   an atmosphere of elation

4. the prevailing tone or mood of a novel, symphony, painting, or other work of art

5. a special mood or character associated with a place

6. any local gaseous environment or medium

   an inert atmosphere

7. 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

atmosphere

1. 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.

2. See more at exosphere mesosphere stratosphere thermosphere troposphere

3. 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.

atmosphere

1. The blanket of gas on the surface of a planet or satellite.

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
• atmospherically adverb
• atmospheric adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of atmosphere¹

From the New Latin word atmosphaera, dating back to 1630–40. See atmo-, -sphere

Example Sentences

Few writers since Henry James can create an atmosphere of doubt around events and character as effectively as this author does, and in “Venetian Vespers” the miasma thickens at every turn.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Because of changes in vertical wind shear -- the variation in wind speed and direction high in the atmosphere -- La Nina tends to bring more hurricanes in the Atlantic basin and fewer in the Pacific.

Read more on Barron's

Although Mars has an extremely thin atmosphere, it still experiences powerful winds that play a major role in shaping the planet’s climate and in distributing its ever-present dust.

Read more on Science Daily

Space rocks this small enter Earth's atmosphere several times each year, usually breaking apart high above the surface.

Read more on Science Daily

Because a hotter atmosphere holds more water that evaporates from a rapidly warming Mediterranean Sea, climate change increases the risk and intensity of flooding from extreme rainfall in the region.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• air 
• ambience 
• aura 
• character 
• climate 
• color 
• environment 
• feel 
• feeling 
• flavor 
• mood 
• place 
• quality 
• scene 
• sense 
• space 
• spirit 
• surroundings 
• taste 
• tone