spatiotemporal

adjective

spa·​tio·​tem·​po·​ral ˌspā-shē-ō-ˈtem-p(ə-)rəl How to pronounce spatiotemporal (audio)
1
: having both spatial and temporal qualities
2
: of or relating to space-time
spatiotemporally adverb

Examples of spatiotemporal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
The islands of Maui, Oahu and The Big Island are susceptible to more devastation from wildfires and other climate threats this summer, said Abby Frazier, a climatologist who studies the spatiotemporal dynamics and impacts of climate change and climate variability. Joel Shannon, USA TODAY, 30 June 2024 Two sets of three cells, each, programmed to deliver spatiotemporal cues in opposite directions, were integrated into a sleeve for the forearm [left]. IEEE Spectrum, 11 Sep. 2023 Biophysical feedbacks mediate carbonate chemistry in coastal ecosystems across spatiotemporal gradients. Christie Wilcox, Discover Magazine, 16 Jan. 2018 The detector collects these signals from 32 locations on the face before algorithms translate them into spatiotemporal maps before a decision is made as to whether a video is real or fake. Marco Marcelline, PCMAG, 19 Nov. 2022 And the retina’s exact output to the brain—the spatiotemporal patterns of electrical pulses generated by the ganglion cells—is unknown. Connie Chang Chinchio, Popular Mechanics, 25 Aug. 2022 The post-World War II insertion of the automobile into this spatiotemporal calculus really messed things up. Adam Rogers, Wired, 30 Dec. 2021 The physical world is temporal and declines; the non-spatiotemporal one is ideal and doesn’t. Alec Wilkinson, The New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2021 By definition, the non-spatiotemporal realm is outside time and space. Alec Wilkinson, The New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2021

Word History

Etymology

Latin spatium + tempor-, tempus time

First Known Use

1900, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of spatiotemporal was in 1900

Dictionary Entries Near spatiotemporal

Cite this Entry

“Spatiotemporal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spatiotemporal. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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