meteorology
Americannoun
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the science dealing with the atmosphere and its phenomena, including weather and climate.
-
the atmospheric conditions and weather of an area.
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of meteorology
First recorded in 1610–20; from Greek meteōrología “discussion of celestial phenomena”; see meteor, -o-, -logy
Explanation
When the weather man tells you it's going to rain today, he is giving a meteorology report, or weather forecast. Meteorology is the study of our atmosphere. Meteorology comes from the Greek meteōrologia meaning "of the atmosphere." While meteorology involves various branches including aviation and agricultural studies, most commonly we see it in our everyday lives through weather forecasting, a process that involves collecting data about an atmosphere to determine what the weather will be. If you're fascinated by storms and hurricanes, consider a career in meteorology.
Vocabulary lists containing meteorology
Power Suffix: -ology
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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.
Aubrey Palmer, a meteorology student at Mississippi State University, told the BBC that they and other students had just finished writing a 2,900‑word exam essay when a ransom message suddenly appeared on their screens.
From BBC • May 12, 2026
The French meteorology agency has filed a police complaint over suspected tampering with its data-processing system after a Polymarket bettor won big on an unusual temperature reading.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 23, 2026
"There is now strong evidence across different datasets that winter precipitation in the Himalayas is indeed decreasing," said Kieran Hunt, principal research fellow in tropical meteorology at University of Reading in the UK.
From BBC • Jan. 11, 2026
Fields such as meteorology, oceanography, and climate modeling face similar challenges and could benefit from tools that accelerate complex, multi-scale simulations.
From Science Daily • Nov. 16, 2025
The naming of clouds was a great event in the history of meteorology, after which much more serious discussion and understanding were possible.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
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.
