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

Did you know?

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.

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web Now in a moister microclimate, the environment shifts from sunny and spiny to shady and succulent. Mare Czinar, The Arizona Republic, 7 Aug. 2022 This will evaporate and create a more humid microclimate around your tree. Mackenzie Nichols, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Aug. 2022 The sleek, 2,000-square-foot home is in an idyllic place for outdoor adventures all year round, thanks to its natural microclimate, so everything from snow cavern spelunking to glacier trekking are options along with plenty of opportunities to catch the northern lights. Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 2 Dec. 2021 For a guide to looking up air quality in your microclimate, go here. Kellie Hwang, SFChronicle.com, 23 Aug. 2020 Out where the farm is in Paso Robles, the valley makes for a very active microclimate. Science & Food, Discover Magazine, 1 May 2012 Loyalty is perhaps best expressed in empty microgestures, bubbles of nothing, inside the volatile microclimate of family life and also inside the microcosm of friendship. Heather Havrilesky, New York Times, 17 Dec. 2022 Choose a variety suited for your microclimate. Pam Peirce, San Francisco Chronicle, 2 Apr. 2021 But your choice of plants should also depend on your microclimate, garden orientation and the plants’ tolerance for sun/heat and need for shade. Nicole Sours Larson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Jan. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'microclimate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near microclimate

Cite this Entry

“Microclimate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/microclimate. Accessed 29 May. 2023.

More from Merriam-Webster on microclimate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!