greenhouse gas

American  

[green-hous gas] / ˈgrinˌhaʊs ˌgæs /

noun

• greenhouse gases
  plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• greenhouse gases
  plural

Etymology

Origin of greenhouse gas

First recorded in 1980–85

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

greenhouse gas

The EU still maintains that it can curb its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared with 1990 levels, and to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026

Nuclear power produces no greenhouse gas emissions, the primary driver of climate change.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026

The UK has set a target to consume zero-carbon electricity by 2030 and is aiming to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 to combat climate change.

From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026

Oceans are a vital regulator of the climate, absorbing most of the excess heat generated by greenhouse gas emissions and producing half of Earth's oxygen.

From BBC ● Aug. 10, 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