meteorologist
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of meteorologist
First recorded in 1630–40; meteorolog(y) ( def. ) + -ist ( def. )
Explanation
The expert TV reporter who presents the nightly weather forecast is a meteorologist. If you want to know if it's going to rain on your picnic this weekend, ask a meteorologist! Meteorologists get their name from the Greek meteōrologia, "discussion or study of high things." The "high thing" meteorologists study and report on is the planet's atmosphere — and the way it affects the weather. While people have tried to predict the weather for centuries, it's only recently that science has caught up with this goal, and meteorologists usually get it right.
Vocabulary lists containing meteorologist
Weather and Climate - Introductory
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Physical Geography - Middle School
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Physical Geography - High School
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
“It’s not super abnormal for this time of year, but it will be warmer for much of the area,” said Bryan Lewis, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Oxnard.
From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026
The final tornado was an outlier, showing up much farther south at around 6:30 p.m., in Terra Bella in Tulare County, said Alex Cooke, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service’s Hanford/San Joaquin Valley office.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 25, 2026
“With active winters, we’ll have snow even in May,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Gigi Giralte in Reno.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2026
Thursday night’s storm was the second to affect the Hawaiian islands in a week, said Stephen Parker, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026
On the afternoon of April 12, 1934, Salvatore Pagliuca, a meteorologist at the summit weather observatory on Mount Washington, had an experience no one else has had before or since.
From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson
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.
