greenhouse gas

American  

[green-hous gas] / ˈgrinˌhaʊs ˌgæs /

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.

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greenhouse gas British  

noun

1. any gas that contributes to the greenhouse effect

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greenhouse gas Scientific  

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.

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Etymology

Origin of greenhouse gas

First recorded in 1980–85

Example Sentences

Regulators at the California Air Resources Board are set to decide May 28 whether to approve the latest blueprint for greenhouse gas limits on major polluters through 2045, a program known as cap-and-invest.

From Los Angeles Times • May 30, 2026

It sought to require public companies to report their greenhouse gas emissions and plans to address climate change.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026

Even if greenhouse gas emissions are eventually stabilized, sea level rise will not stop anytime soon.

From Science Daily • May 22, 2026

Should the world fail to limit the rise in global warming by cutting greenhouse gas emissions, the figures increase dramatically.

From BBC • May 20, 2026

During this period, plastic increasingly filled landfills and oceans while its production—up to 8 million tons annually by 2020—contributed to air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

From "The First State of Being" by Erin Entrada Kelly