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.

---

greenhouse gas British  

noun

1. any gas that contributes to the greenhouse effect

---

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.

---

Etymology

Origin of greenhouse gas

First recorded in 1980–85

Example Sentences

Kiribati's Ministry of Fisheries says that preliminary modelling showed that it "could lose more than $10m in fishing access fees per year" by 2050 if global greenhouse gas emissions remained high.

From BBC • Apr. 26, 2026

One major challenge has been the difficulty of accurately reconstructing both global temperatures and greenhouse gas levels from so far back in time.

From Science Daily • Apr. 24, 2026

The Bezos Earth Fund grants aim to address longstanding concerns about greenhouse gas emissions and pollution from clothing companies.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

Coal provides 80 percent of South Africa's power, according to the OECD, and the country ranks among the world's largest greenhouse gas emitters.

From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026

It was the microbes that created methane—the farts—and methane was a greenhouse gas that trapped heat inside the atmosphere, making the earth hotter.

From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz