Word
meteorology
Phoneticsme·te·o·rol·o·gy
US/ˌmitiɝˈɑɫədʒi/
UK/mˌiːtɪɔːɹˈɒlədʒi/
Definitions
01the science of weather
n. the study of the atmosphere and how it creates different types of weather.
n. the scientific study of the atmosphere and its phenomena, particularly for the purpose of weather forecasting.
“She decided to study meteorology because she was fascinated by how hurricanes form.”
“Advances in satellite technology have allowed the field of meteorology to provide much more accurate long-range forecasts than were possible a decade ago.”
Technical
Usage
Usually uncountable; refers to the academic or professional discipline.
Teaching tip
Learners often confuse this with 'metrology' (the science of measurement). Remind them that 'meteor-' relates to things in the sky, like meteors or weather.
Synonyms
02weather conditions of a place
n. the specific weather patterns or atmospheric conditions of a certain area.
n. the atmospheric characteristics and weather phenomena of a specific region or time period.
“The unique meteorology of the mountain valley creates a lot of morning fog.”
“Researchers are documenting the meteorology of the Arctic circle to better understand the local effects of global temperature shifts.”
Academic · Technical
Usage
Can be used with a definite article to refer to the specific conditions of a location.
Teaching tip
This sense is less common than the name of the science itself; it is mostly found in geography or environmental reports.
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“This mirrors the development of meteorology over the 20th century and debates about how best to forecast the weather today.” “The Bureau of Meteorology had forecast snowfall to hit Thredbo top station by 4pm on Saturday, with a daytime low temperature of -1C.” Etymology
Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek μετεωρολογία (meteōrología), from μετέωρα (metéōra, “celestial phenomena”), nominalized from the neuter plural of μετέωρος (metéōros, “high in the sky”), + -λογία (-logía, “study of”). By surface analysis, meteor (“atmospheric phenomenon”) + -ology (“study of”). First attested in 1563.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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englishreference.com/q/meteorology