humidity
Americannoun
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humidities
plural
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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:
So the researchers used new data from more recent wet-bulb experiments conducted in the United States which tested how people over 60 tolerated higher heat and humidity.
From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026
They will be notably above average for mid-August and the humidity is likely to intensify on Wednesday night into Thursday.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
Temperatures in the area were in the lower 90s, and humidity levels were aboutaround 18% around the time of ignition.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2026
Airplane cabins’ lower humidity levels can diminish passengers’ ability to taste and smell, leaving light wines tasting like water, or highly acidic wines tasting sour and overly tangy.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
In the powerful humidity the powdered mix got transfigured like Lot’s poor wife who looked back at Gomorrah and got turned to a pillar of salt.
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
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
Cooling centers sprung up across swaths of the country to provide relief from the stifling heat and high humidities.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 21, 2022
Nuts to be used for eating purposes shortly after harvest may be stored at lower relative humidities but should be placed in cold storage.
From Northern Nut Growers Association Incorporated 39th Annual Report at Norris, Tenn. September 13-15 1948 by Northern Nut Growers Association
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.
