greenhouse gas

noun

: any of various gaseous compounds (such as carbon dioxide or methane) that absorb infrared radiation, trap heat in the atmosphere, and contribute to the greenhouse effect
Water vapor is an important gas for the study of climate and weather because of its role as a natural greenhouse gas as well as its relationship to clouds and precipitation.Mohi Kumar
Scientists now recognize tropospheric ozone—a component of smog—as a greenhouse gas as well as an eye and lung irritant.Science News
While it may not be possible to eliminate all greenhouse gas emissions, it is possible to offset some of the emissions that do still occur. Offsetting involves supporting projects that reduce or sequester greenhouse gas emissions in another location.Tyson Miller
Livestock emit 14.5 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions each year. Most of that is from cows.Marley Walker

Examples of greenhouse gas in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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In the highest greenhouse gas emissions scenario, Caltrans said, average maximum temperatures over seven days could go up 14 degrees in inland areas of the state. Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 9 May 2025 The move, reported Thursday by CNN, is yet another of President Donald Trump’s efforts to remove references to climate change and the impact of greenhouse gas emissions on the weather from the federal government’s lexicon and documents. Alexa St. John, Chicago Tribune, 8 May 2025 According to an annual Energy Star report released by the EPA in May 2024, the program has saved more than five trillion kilowatt-hours of electricity since 1992 and has prevented four billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions in the same period. Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 8 May 2025 In 2022, the company announced a plan to drastically reduce its own greenhouse gas emissions. John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 7 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for greenhouse gas

Word History

First Known Use

1975, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of greenhouse gas was in 1975

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Cite this Entry

“Greenhouse gas.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/greenhouse%20gas. Accessed 18 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

greenhouse gas

noun
: any of various gases (as carbon dioxide or methane) that absorb infrared radiation, trap heat in the atmosphere, and contribute to the greenhouse effect
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