thermal energy

American  

[thur-muhl en-er-jee] / ˈθɜr məl ˈɛn ər dʒi /

noun

Physics.

1. the energy of a body or system that is directly related to its temperature.

   In a steam turbine, the thermal energy of the water vapor transforms into the mechanical power of the turbine.

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Etymology

Origin of thermal energy

First recorded in 1850–55

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

thermal energy

Other beverage producers may also find it appealing to use thermal energy from solar, said Yangying Zhu, whose research includes sustainable energy at The University of California, Santa Barbara.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026

"With molecular solar thermal energy storage, the material itself is able to store that energy from sunlight."

From Science Daily ● May 15, 2026

This approach allows scientists to estimate the thermal energy of the intracluster medium:the gas existing between the galaxies of a given cluster.

From Science Daily ● Jan. 7, 2026

"This challenge was a wake-up call. Now we have woken up," he added, promising more solar and thermal energy projects.

From BBC ● Nov. 26, 2025

But Dad’s main interest was energy: thermal energy, nuclear energy, solar energy, electrical energy, and energy from the wind.

From "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls