climatology

[ klahy-muh-tol-uh-jee ]

noun

1. the science that deals with the phenomena of climates or climatic conditions.

climatology

/ ˌklaɪmətəˈlɒdʒɪk; ˌklaɪməˈtɒlədʒɪ /

noun

1. the study of climate

climatology

/ klī′mə-tŏl′ə-jē /

1. The scientific study of climates, including the causes and long-term effects of variation in regional and global climates. Climatology also studies how climate changes over time and is affected by human actions.

Derived Forms

• ˌclimaˈtologist, noun
• ˌclimatoˈlogically, adverb
• climatologic, adjective

Other Words From

• cli·ma·to·log·ic [klahy-m, uh, -tl-, oj, -ik], clima·to·logi·cal adjective
• clima·to·logi·cal·ly adverb
• clima·tolo·gist noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of climatology¹

First recorded in 1835–45; climate + -o- + -logy

Example Sentences

Olympians might not be experts in climatology or conversant in all the relevant political arguments surrounding weather trends, but they have a ground-level view.

From Los Angeles Times

Just ask Dr. James Hansen, a professor of climatology at Columbia University, whose famous 1988 testimony before Congress helped raise awareness about the issue.

From Salon

Climate change could cause even worse climate extremes than the heavy rainfall being experienced in Eastern Africa, said John Musingi, senior lecturer in climatology and climate change at the University of Nairobi.

From Seattle Times

And although this almanac doesn’t cite the moon’s influence on weather, it does rely on solar activity, as well as climatology and meteorology.

From Scientific American

“Human-caused global climate change is already making life considerably harder for tens of millions of people in West Asia,” said study co-author Mohammed Rahimi, a professor of climatology at Semnan University in Iran.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• weather forecasting