thermosphere
ˈθɜːrməsfɪər
noun
Origin
Greek
thermos — hot, warm
Overview
Meaning Now
- The region of the Earth's atmosphere above the mesosphere and below the exosphere, characterized by a significant increase in temperature with altitude.
Literal older meaning
heat sphere
Language path
Greek → New Latin → English
Earliest form
thermosphere
Earliest period
20th century
Journey
The term was introduced during the mid-20th century as scientists began to better map the stratified layers of the upper atmosphere using high-altitude sounding rockets and radio sounding techniques.
Evolution
- Ancient Greek
thermos
“hot”
- Modern Latin
thermosphaera
“sphere of heat”
Scientific coinage
- English
thermosphere
“atmospheric layer defined by rising temperatures”
Connections
Word parts
thermo-
prefix
heat
-sphere
root
globe, ball, or region
Related across languages
German
Thermosphäre
thermosphere
French
thermosphère
thermosphere
Related words
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External references use DefinedTerm semantics.