microclimate

American  

[mahy-kruh-klahy-mit] / ˈmaɪ krəˌklaɪ mɪt /

noun

1. the climate of a small area, as of confined spaces such as caves or houses cryptoclimate, of plant communities, wooded areas, etc. phytoclimate, or of urban communities, which may be different from that in the general region.

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microclimate British  

/ ˈmaɪkrəʊˌklaɪmɪt, ˌmaɪkrəʊklaɪˈmætɪk /

noun

1. the atmospheric conditions affecting an individual or a small group of organisms, esp when they differ from the climate of the rest of the community

2. the entire environment of an individual or small group of organisms

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microclimate Scientific  

/ mī′krō-klī′mĭt /

1. The climate of a small, specific place within a larger area. An area as small as a yard or park can have several different microclimates depending on how much sunlight, shade, or exposure to the wind there is at a particular spot.

2. Compare macroclimate

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microclimate Cultural  

1. The long-term weather conditions in a small area on the Earth. Usually, this term refers to such things as the differences in weather between the tops of hills and neighboring valleys, or between different parts of the same piece of land.

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Other Word Forms

• microclimatic adjective
• microclimatically adverb

Etymology

Origin of microclimate

First recorded in 1920–25; micro- + climate

Example Sentences

"The more the climate warms, the more it will trigger the glaciers to cool their own microclimate and local environments down-valley," says Shaw.

From Science Daily • Oct. 26, 2025

A long trial creates its own microclimate and, over the past weeks, a strange sort of normality developed inside Avignon's Palais de Justice.

From BBC • Dec. 17, 2024

Prestigious chateaus boast about the soil, microclimate and traditional methods that make their own wine superior, an inscrutable mix known as terroir.

From New York Times • Dec. 5, 2023

“It kills the dormant weed seeds and vegetation that you want to get rid of, and it creates a microclimate for earthworms to decompose the thatch and create a nice seed bed.”

From Seattle Times • Mar. 17, 2023

Annabeth couldn’t tell if it was actually darker, but the air did seem colder and thicker, as if they’d stepped into a different microclimate.

From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan