greenhouse gas

[green-hous gas]

noun

1. any of the gases whose absorption of solar radiation is responsible for the greenhouse effect, including carbon dioxide, methane, ozone, and the fluorocarbons.

greenhouse gas

noun

1. any gas that contributes to the greenhouse effect

greenhouse gas

1. Any of the atmospheric gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation produced by solar warming of the Earth's surface. They include carbon dioxide (CO ₂), methane (CH ₄), nitrous oxide (N ₂ O), and water vapor. Although greenhouse gases occur naturally in the atmosphere, the elevated levels especially of carbon dioxide and methane that have been observed in recent decades are directly related, at least in part, to human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels and the deforestation of tropical forests.

Word History and Origins

Origin of greenhouse gas¹

First recorded in 1980–85

Example Sentences

The Task Force for Corporate Action Transparency, or TCAT, launched two greenhouse gas accounting frameworks on Wednesday, allowing companies to go into more detail about the ways in which they are lowering their emissions.

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Dairy production requires large amounts of water and land, while generating large amounts of greenhouse gases.

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Large methane leaks not only unleash massive amounts of the greenhouse gas, but are also carry a toxic mix of air pollutants.

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The nation’s top environmental agency has spent the last several months loosening regulations that govern air and water quality, electric vehicle initiatives, pollution monitoring and greenhouse gas reporting, among other changes.

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Glaciers are rapidly shrinking around the world, from the Himalayas to the Andes, as temperatures are pushed higher by the use of fossil fuels and rising greenhouse gas levels.

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