climate

American  

[klahy-mit] / ˈklaɪ mɪt /

noun

• climates
  plural

1. the composite or generally prevailing weather conditions of a region, as temperature, air pressure, humidity, precipitation, sunshine, cloudiness, and winds, throughout the year, averaged over a series of years.

2. a region or area characterized by a given climate.

   to move to a warm climate.

3. the prevailing attitudes, standards, or environmental conditions of a group, period, or place.

   a climate of political unrest.

   Synonyms:

   temper, tone, spirit, atmosphere, mood

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climate British  

/ ˈklaɪmɪt, klaɪˈmætɪk /

noun

1. the long-term prevalent weather conditions of an area, determined by latitude, position relative to oceans or continents, altitude, etc

2. an area having a particular kind of climate

3. a prevailing trend or current of feeling

   the political climate

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climate Scientific  

/ klī′mĭt /

1. The general or average weather conditions of a certain region, including temperature, rainfall, and wind. On Earth, climate is most affected by latitude, the tilt of the Earth's axis, the movements of the Earth's wind belts, the difference in temperatures of land and sea, and topography. Human activity, especially relating to actions relating to the depletion of the ozone layer, is also an important factor.

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climate Cultural  

1. A region's usual weather patterns. The climate at any point on Earth is determined by things such as the general movement of the atmosphere, the proximity of the oceans, and the altitude of the location.

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Usage

Climatic is sometimes wrongly used where climactic is meant. Climatic is properly used to talk about things relating to climate; climactic is used to describe something which forms a climax

Discover More

The climate also is affected by the sun, by changes in the orbit of the Earth, by plate tectonics, and by human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels, which may lead to a greenhouse effect.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• subclimate
  noun
• climatic
  adjective
• climatically
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• climates
  plural

Etymology

Origin of climate

First recorded in 1350–1400, for an earlier sense; 1595–1605 climate for def. 2; Middle English climat, from Latin clīmat- (stem of clīma ), from Greek klīmat- , stem of klī́ma “slope,” from klī́(nein) “to bend, lean, slope” + -ma, noun suffix

Explanation

The climate is the general weather in a particular region. Florida is known for its temperate climate. The word climate is also used figuratively to mean "the usual conditions," as in "It's a favorable climate for school reform." Climate descends from Greek klima "region, surface of the earth," and from klinein "to slope." The original use of the word climate in English was in reference to one of the sloping zones of the earth from the equator toward the poles. This meaning was often used to refer to weather conditions in a zone of the earth, which developed into the current meaning of "the weather."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

climate climates

While the official line in the current climate is that efficiencies have to be made, unions describe the move more like cuts.

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026

Qianggong Zhang, head of climate and environmental risks at ICIMOD, warned of the potential for a second flood because of an ongoing blockage upstream.

From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026

The researchers used climate models to examine the effects of the companies’ carbon dioxide emissions since 1950.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026

Providing revenue guidance in the current climate is tricky, said Sandeep Aujla, the company’s finance chief.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026

“We brought all these amazing young people together to show you that climate change isn’t some far-off threat,” Natalie said, reading from the screen on the podium.

From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz

The logic of construction in places like Guizhou, with its cooler climates, abundant renewable energy and empty space, is multifaceted.

From Barron's ● Aug. 19, 2026

The next generation of plush paper towels, toilet paper and diapers could be made with a plant with long, pointy leaves that grows in arid climates.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

"We are seeing the emergence of new warmer climates," explained Mike Kendon, climate scientist at the Met Office.

From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026

The diseases that Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus are known to carry—chikungunya, Zika, dengue, and yellow fever—as well as most other mosquito-borne diseases, are most common in tropical and subtropical climates.

From Slate ● Aug. 4, 2026

Lady sensed the high pressure of the same front and she, like Drum and Duchess, began the long pilgrimage of the peregrine falcon to warmer climates.

From "Frightful's Mountain" by Jean Craighead George

Related Words

• atmosphere
• environment
• feeling
• mood
• surroundings
• trend