thermal

1 of 2

adjective

ther·​mal ˈthər-məl How to pronounce thermal (audio)
1
a
: of, relating to, or caused by heat
thermal stress
thermal insulation
b
: being or involving a state of matter dependent upon temperature
thermal conductivity
thermal agitation of molecular structure
c
: having low energies of the order of those due to thermal agitation
thermal neutrons
2
: designed (as with insulating air spaces) to prevent the dissipation of body heat
thermal underwear
3
[Latin thermae public baths, from Greek thermai, plural of thermē] : of, relating to, or marked by the presence of hot springs
thermal waters
thermally adverb

thermal

2 of 2

noun

: a rising body of warm air

Did you know?

In days gone by, much of the male population of the northern states in the cold months would wear a garment of thermal underwear covering the entire body, called a union suit. Union suits kept sodbusters, cowboys, and townsfolk alike not only warm but also itchy and a little on the smelly side (back when bathing once a week was considered the height of cleanliness). Thermal imaging is photography that captures "heat pictures"--rather than ordinary light pictures--of objects. And thermal pollution occurs when industrial water use ends up warming a river in a damaging way. Small-plane pilots use thermal as a noun for a warm updraft, often over a plowed field or desert, that lifts their wings, just as it enables hawks to soar upward without moving their wings.

Examples of thermal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
In addition, Saturday was warmer than Friday, a possible sign of thermal progress. Martin Weil, Washington Post, 3 Mar. 2024 Rosenthal and wife Monica squeeze into thermal wear and drysuits to float amid a pristine environment. Laura Manske, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 An enzyme from the robust bug can handle the thermal cycles of heating and cooling used in the process of copying DNA. Claire Turrell, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Mar. 2024 Meadowfoam oil moisturizes and adds shine while squalane acts as a natural way to prevent thermal damage. Neha Tandon, Glamour, 1 Mar. 2024 There are a bevy of measurements that are being made in the area, including gas emissions, land surface motion in three dimensions, earthquake activity and thermal emissions. Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 29 Feb. 2024 At this point, the system becomes stable and stops noticeably changing — a scenario physicists refer to as thermal equilibrium. Charlie Wood, Quanta Magazine, 26 Feb. 2024 If your car has a thermal heating pack for the battery, plug it in when not in use. Kinsey Crowley, The Enquirer, 23 Feb. 2024 Radios, drone controllers and vehicles all produce substantial amounts of electromagnetic activity and thermal energy that can be detected. Alex Horton, Washington Post, 22 Feb. 2024
Noun
The music, too, is idiosyncratic: For 60 minutes, plainsong, gospel, electronica, soul and the New Orleans funk of Christian’s upbringing layer into each other like atmospheric thermals. Jesse Green, New York Times, 19 Jan. 2024 Military officials searched the river with lights, thermals and night-vision goggles but did not see any other migrants trying to cross or in distress, the statement said. Alexandra E. Petri, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2024 Though thermals, thick sweaters and puffy coats make sense on icy streets, enter a packed subway, stuffy restaurant or inferno-like office and cue the perspiration. Ashley Ogawa Clarke, WSJ, 14 Dec. 2023 Linus Tech Tips' teardown goes a bit deeper into the thermals and noise suppression of the new model. Kevin Purdy, Ars Technica, 7 Nov. 2023 And boy, does that legacy continue with these thermals. Todd Plummer, Robb Report, 25 Oct. 2023 Don’t make the mistake of thinking the thermals of today are the saggy, yellowing styles of yesteryear. Todd Plummer, Robb Report, 25 Oct. 2023 The seven-mile round-trip hike from the visitor center to Hanging Rock visits Great Bear Mound (the largest effigy, at 138 feet long), skirts tallgrass prairie, and overlooks the river from 400-foot cliffs, where hawks and eagles cruise the thermals. The Editors, Outside Online, 15 Apr. 2019 Like many sedans today, the Eagle lifts off on thermals of Audi-like ideas. Larry Griffin, Car and Driver, 11 Apr. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'thermal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Greek thermē

First Known Use

Adjective

1742, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Noun

1933, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of thermal was in 1742

Dictionary Entries Near thermal

Cite this Entry

“Thermal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thermal. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

thermal

1 of 2 adjective
ther·​mal ˈthər-məl How to pronounce thermal (audio)
1
: of or relating to a hot spring
thermal springs
2
: of, relating to, caused by, or saving heat
thermal energy
thermal underwear
thermally adverb

thermal

2 of 2 noun
: a rising body of warm air

Medical Definition

thermal

adjective
ther·​mal ˈthər-məl How to pronounce thermal (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or caused by heat
tactile and thermal senses
2
: being or involving a state of matter dependent upon temperature
thermal agitation of molecular structure
thermally adverb

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