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

Starbucks said it aims to start adding stores over the next year and renovate more than 1,000 locations to try to improve their atmosphere.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Efforts over the past year to reinvest in cafe service and atmosphere have been boosting business, executives said, with the chain directing hundreds of millions of dollars toward cafe staffing and improvements.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Texas would take the largest loss at 54 terminated projects totaling nearly $2.4 billion, including $50 million for the South Texas Direct Air Capture Hub, intended to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

There were a "lot of things out there" creating an atmosphere of uncertainty, he added, pointing to risk factors like the geopolitical environment, fiscal spending and the remilitarisation of the world.

Read more on BBC

The debris, usually bits of rock or ice, hits the Earth's atmosphere and burns up because of the friction, sending light streaks across the night sky.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

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