clime
Americannoun
-
climes
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of clime
First recorded in 1535–45; from Latin clīma; see climate
Explanation
Not to be confused with "climb", a clime is a region known for its weather. In the dead of winter, we dream about heading to sunny climes, where we can hang out in shorts. The key to remembering clime is that it's so similar to "climate," with which it shares the Greek root klima, "zone." So a clime is a zone that has a characteristic climate. Folks in colder climes think nothing of the kind of snowfall that we down here in the south get all panicked about. But then again, when they come here to our warmer clime, they forget to put on sunscreen; people from one clime can learn a lot from a visit to a different clime.
Vocabulary lists containing clime
Animal Farm
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"Called Out," Vocabulary from the science essay
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"Called Out" by Barbara Kingsolver
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The concept of "coolcations" -- vacations in a cooler clime -- has been gathering pace in recent years and appears to have exploded in 2026.
From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026
If you live in Portland or New York City, you might be thinking long and hard about moving to a lower tax clime.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 14, 2026
Dating show alumni don't thrive in this cold Scottish clime.
From Salon ● Jan. 9, 2025
That means if your tree hails from a more humid clime, it's likely been spoiled for generations.
From Science Daily ● Dec. 13, 2023
He was a man from a northern clime and England did not have this sort of weather, and when you have not slept .
From "The Killer Angels: The Classic Novel of the Civil War" by Michael Shaara
Climate change has had some advantages for Germany's winegrowers over the years, allowing them to experiment with grape varieties better suited to warmer climes and making cultivation possible in new areas.
From Barron's ● Aug. 16, 2026
Norway played their two warm-up matches against Sweden and Morocco in the cooler climes of Oslo and New Jersey respectively.
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
Mr. Gretzky’s trade in 1988 from the Edmonton Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings brought Tinseltown attention to the NHL, which eventually spread to other warmer climes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 31, 2026
There is snow in parts of Australia, but since the country is in the southern hemisphere, the winters there are short and they come during what is summer in the northern climes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 18, 2025
When Westerberg was jailed and the work came to a halt, and with winter coming on, McCandless headed for warmer climes.
From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
