Atmosphere Definition
ătmə-sfîr
noun
The gaseous mass or envelope surrounding a celestial body, especially the one surrounding the earth, and retained by the celestial body's gravitational field.
American Heritage
The gaseous envelope (air) surrounding the earth to a height of c. 1,000 km (c. 621 mi): it is c. 21% oxygen, 78% nitrogen, and 1% other gases, and rotates with the earth, because of gravity.
Webster's New World
The air or climate in a specific place.
American Heritage
The gaseous mass surrounding any star, planet, etc.
Webster's New World
A unit of pressure equal to the air pressure at sea level. It equals the amount of pressure that will support a column of mercury 760 millimeters high at 0 degrees Celsius under standard gravity, or 14.7 pounds per square inch (1.01325 × 105 pascals).
American Heritage
Other Word Forms of Atmosphere
Noun
Singular:
atmosphere
Plural:
atmospheresOrigin of Atmosphere
From New Latin atmosphaera, from Ancient Greek ἀτμός (atmós, “steam”) + Ancient Greek σφαῖρα (sphaĩra, “sphere”); corresponding to atmo- + -sphere (?).
From Wiktionary
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New Latin atmosphaera Greek atmos vapor wet-1 in Indo-European roots Latin sphaera sphere sphere
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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