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definitions

wind chill

or wind·chill

[ wind-chil, win- ]
/ ˈwɪndˌtʃɪl, ˈwɪn- /

noun Meteorology.

the apparent temperature felt on the exposed human body owing to the combination of temperature and wind speed.

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Nearby words

  1. winckelmann,
  2. winckelmann, johann joachim,
  3. wind,
  4. wind cave national park,
  5. wind chest,
  6. wind chill factor,
  7. wind chimes,
  8. wind colic,
  9. wind cone,
  10. wind down

Origin of wind chill

First recorded in 1945–50
Also called wind·chill factor [wind-chil, win-,] /ˈwɪndˌtʃɪl ˌfæk tər, ˈwɪn-,/ wind·chill in·dex [wind-chil in-deks, win-] /ˈwɪndˌtʃɪl ˌɪn dɛks, ˈwɪn-/, chill factor.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Science definitions for wind-chill factor

wind-chill factor

The temperature of windless air that would have the same effect on exposed human skin as a particular combination of wind speed and air temperature. As the wind blows faster, heat is lost more quickly from exposed skin, making a person feel colder even though the air temperature remains the same. Also called chill factor
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.