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

Because methane is such a powerful greenhouse gas, this sets up a concerning cycle.

From Science Daily • Apr. 16, 2026

“You can’t have such a potent greenhouse gas just going unaccounted for,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026

That adds methane, a potent greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

Producing an adaptation plan is an obligation under the UK's Climate Change Act 2008 - the world's first legally-binding national framework for greenhouse gas reductions.

From BBC • Mar. 19, 2026

A single CFC molecule is about ten thousand times more efficient at exacerbating greenhouse effects than a molecule of carbon dioxide–and carbon dioxide is of course no slouch itself as a greenhouse gas.

From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson