humidity

American  

[hyoo-mid-i-tee, yoo-] / hyuˈmɪd ɪ ti, yu- /

noun

1. humid condition; moistness; dampness.

2. relative humidity.

3. an uncomfortably high amount of relative humidity.

   It's not the heat, it's the humidity that tires me out.

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humidity British  

/ hjuːˈmɪdɪtɪ /

noun

1. the state of being humid; dampness

2. a measure of the amount of moisture in the air See relative humidity absolute humidity

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humidity Scientific  

/ hyo̅o̅-mĭd′ĭ-tē /

1. The amount of water vapor in the atmosphere, usually expressed as either absolute humidity or relative humidity.

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humidity Cultural  

1. The amount of water vapor in the air. Humidity is measured in two ways: (1) Absolute humidity is the percentage of water vapor actually present in the air. (2) Relative humidity is the absolute humidity divided by the amount of water that could be present in the air. Relative humidity indicates the degree of comfort or discomfort one feels from the humidity, because it indicates the amount of perspiration that can evaporate from the skin.

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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.

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:

• humidity vs. dew point

Example Sentences

The icy salt wind was freezing compared to the rich humidity of Rio.

From Literature

"Air temperature, air movement, humidity, spectator sound, heat from lighting, water composition and others all affect the final product. As well, the ice resurfacer operator can change ice conditions tremendously," Messer said.

From BBC

As the trade winds pushed her farther west she gathered humidity and power.

From Literature

“They’ve got yellowish, brownish stains—you know, from humidity,” Luciani said, musing about how many dollars now sitting in the U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal

Many expenses are non-negotiable - heating for animals from hot countries, lighting and humidity for reptiles, enclosure maintenance, food quality and staffing numbers.

From BBC

Related Words

• evaporation
• moisture