n.
- the envelope of gases surrounding the earth or another planet.
▸the air in a particular place.
- a pervading tone or mood.
▸a pleasurable and interesting or exciting mood.
- Physics a unit of pressure equal to mean atmospheric pressure at sea level, 101,325 pascals (roughly 14.7 pounds per square inch).
Derivative
- atmospheric adj.
- atmospherical adj. (archaic).
- atmospherically adv.
Etymology
C17: from mod. L. atmosphaera, from Gk atmos ‘vapour’ + sphaira ‘globe’.