specific heat

American  

noun

Physics.

1. the number of calories required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of a substance 1°C, or the number of BTU's per pound per degree F.

2. (originally) the ratio of the thermal capacity of a substance to that of standard material.

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specific heat Scientific  

1. See under heat capacity

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specific heat Cultural  

1. The amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of one gram of a substance by one degree Celsius, or to raise the temperature of one pound of a substance by one degree Fahrenheit (see also Fahrenheit).

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Etymology

Origin of specific heat

First recorded in 1825–35

Compare meaning

How does specific-heat compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• heat capacity vs. specific heat

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

specific heat

Attribution science seeks to untangle how much human-caused climate change shaped a specific heat wave, storm or flood, and its findings now shape litigation and policy.

From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026

Additional evidence came from specific heat measurements, which supported the idea that these predicted emergent photons follow a dispersion resembling the way sound moves through a solid.

From Science Daily ● Dec. 17, 2025

“Without a specific heat standard, it makes it more challenging for regulators to decide, ‘OK, this employer’s breaking the law or not.’”

From Washington Times ● Aug. 28, 2023

Similar questions about specific heat a century ago led to early quantum mechanics.

From Textbooks ● Aug. 12, 2015

Water is a more efficient cooling medium than air, owing to its high specific heat, and the degree of cooling may be more easily regulated by its use.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 4 "G" to "Gaskell, Elizabeth" by Various