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

Visiting victims of the West Midlands wildfire on Friday, he told BBC Five Live that there needs to be a focus on adapting to the changing climate, including considering aerial firefighting resources.

From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026

Hydrogen is an alternative to gasoline, diesel fuel and natural gas that’s part of California’s climate strategy because it doesn’t produce greenhouse gas emissions when used.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026

"If you change the environment, you change the vegetation, the climate is warmer or colder, it affects these animals directly," says Cruz.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 16, 2026

Scattering straw between vines, known as mulching, is not new, but what has changed is its purpose: from improving general soil health to helping vineyards withstand a warming climate.

From Barron's ● Aug. 16, 2026

“Maybe we can do some segments together. You need to get your message in front of more people, Natalie. Get more kids like you fired up about climate change.”

From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz

Temperature variations and anomalies in countries close to the equator are typically smaller than in temperate climates.

From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 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

Most of those early examples were also found much farther south, in regions with warmer climates.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 27, 2026

Historically, advanced civilizations have flourished in the cooler climates.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026

All of the disputed territories contain valuable minerals, and some of them yield important vegetable products such as rubber which in colder climates it is necessary to synthesize by comparatively expensive methods.

From "1984" by George Orwell

Related Words

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