humidity
Americannoun
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humid condition; moistness; dampness.
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an uncomfortably high amount of relative humidity.
It's not the heat, it's the humidity that tires me out.
noun
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the state of being humid; dampness
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a measure of the amount of moisture in the air See relative humidity absolute humidity
Usage
What does humidity mean? Humidity is the state of air when it’s full of water vapor. Humidity is the noun form of the adjective humid, which is used to describe moist air—air that’s full of water vapor. Humidity is most commonly used in reference to weather or the general climate of a place, especially when the temperature is hot. Example: The humidity here in summertime is almost unbearable.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of humidity
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English humydite, from Latin (h)ūmiditās; equivalent to humid + -ity
Compare meaning
How does humidity compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Humidity has to do with how much moisture is in the air. High humidity is a lot of moisture; low humidity is not much at all. Humidity is a word you'll hear if you watch a weather report, and it's also something people love to complain about. When it's hot and there's a lot of humidity, people sweat a lot — it's uncomfortable, sticky, and your hair is likely to frizz. When the humidity gets really high, there's going to be some rain or snow. In some parts of the country, people have a saying about yucky summer weather: "It's not the heat — it's the humidity."
Vocabulary lists containing humidity
Unit 1: Telling Details
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Physical Geography - Introductory
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Weather and Climate - Introductory
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
A coinciding pattern bringing monsoonal moisture to the area is expected to raise humidity as temperatures rise, which “will make the overall effect of the heat significantly worse,” Cohen said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026
Over the next few days, the continued hot and dry weather, coupled with strengthening winds and lower humidity, is expected to accelerate the drying of vegetation, increasing the risk for fires.
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
Lower humidity and stronger winds over the weekend saw the fire risk raised to "exceptional" in parts of southern England.
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
Strong winds that had fuelled the fire had eased, humidity levels had risen and temperatures had fallen, Sanz said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 11, 2026
Even though a pleasant breeze rolled off the lake, the heat and humidity were relentless.
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
Nonetheless, as for Tuesday’s Santa Ana wind event, “the low humidities and the winds will combine to bring enhanced fire danger to the area,” the weather service said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 10, 2025
Because evaporation can occur continuously over a wide range of temperatures and humidities -- and even at night -- there are many exciting potential applications for more efficient HV devices.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 6, 2024
By dehydrating mushrooms or measuring their cooling ability at different air humidities, the researchers determined that the chilling effect stems from water evaporating from the fungi—the equivalent of sweating on a hot day.
From Science Magazine ● May 5, 2023
“It did bring rain, it did bring higher humidities, and of course that’s always a blessing when it comes to fires,” said Cal Fire Battalion Chief Issac Sanchez.
From Washington Times ● Sep. 10, 2022
If the above instructions are carried out, the temperatures, humidities, and air circulation properly manipulated, there should be complete success in the handling of this type of dry kiln.
From Seasoning of Wood by Wagner, J. B. (Joseph Bernard)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
