microclimate

noun

mi·​cro·​cli·​mate ˈmī-krō-ˌklī-mət How to pronounce microclimate (audio)
: the essentially uniform local climate of a usually small site or habitat
microclimatic adjective

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The microclimate of an industrial park may be quite different from that of a nearby wooded park, since the plants absorb light and heat while asphalt parking lots and rooftops radiate them back into the air. A microclimate can offer a small growing area for crops that wouldn't do well in the wider region, so skilled gardeners take advantage of microclimates by carefully choosing and positioning their plants. San Francisco's hills, oceanfront, and bay shore, along with its alternating areas of concrete and greenery, make it a city of microclimates.

Examples of microclimate in a Sentence

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The technology uses air to maintain a dry microclimate by evaporating sweat from the inside out, promoting evaporative cooling, per Polartec. Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 4 Sep. 2025 Yet the state's high-elevation vineyards, some perched at over 4,000 feet above sea level, create microclimates suited for viticulture. Jill Barth, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025 That’s why basil, which thrives in Liguria’s coastal microclimate, is the star of Genovese pesto. Elizabeth Heath, Travel + Leisure, 16 Aug. 2025 Suffocating horticultural oil or insecticidal soap are non-toxic solutions to eliminating 1-5 feet and a spread stretching to 10 feet or more, depending on microclimate and soil conditions. Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 15 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for microclimate

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1925, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of microclimate was in 1925

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Cite this Entry

“Microclimate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/microclimate. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

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