meteorological

Etymology

It is formed from English meteorology + -ical,^[2][3] or, according to Merriam-Webster and Barnhart, from Middle French meteorologique or from Ancient Greek μετεωρολογικός (meteōrologikós) with the English suffix -al.^[4][5] Etymonline also takes it from French or directly from a Latinized form of the Greek adjective.^[6] The French adjective is recorded from 1547, and Latin meteorologicus from 1535.^[2] Meteorology comes through French météorologie and directly from μετεωρολογία (meteōrología, “discussion of celestial phenomena”),^[6][5][7] formed from μετέωρον (metéōron, “thing high up, celestial phenomenon”) and -λογία (-logía, “treatment of”).^[6][7] Metéōron is the neuter of μετέωρος (metéōros, “raised from the ground, lofty”),^[6][1] the source of meteor.^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

Of or relating to meteorology or to atmospheric phenomena: 1570, in J. Dee's contribution to H. Billingsley's translation of Euclid's Elements.^[2][8]

Semantic evolution

Barnhart notes that the adjective is recorded about fifty years before meteorology (1620), which suggests a gap in the record of the noun;^[5] the revised OED has the noun from 1563.^[2] Because meteor first meant any atmospheric phenomenon, the adjective long covered winds, rain and luminous phenomena alike,^[6] and Johnson (1755) defined it as relating to the "doctrine of meteors".^[9] The narrower sense, relating to the weather and its forecasting, follows the development of meteorology.^[6][2] A shorter form, meteorologic, is recorded from 1662 and is now less common.^[2][4]

Timeline

• 1547 – French meteorologique.^[2][5]
• 1563 – meteorology, the science of atmospheric phenomena.^[2]
• 1570 – meteorological.^[2][5][8]
• 1662 – meteorologic.^[2]
• 1755 – Johnson: relating to the doctrine of meteors.^[9]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Of or relating to meteorology, the science of the atmosphere and the weather: a meteorological station on the ridge.^[4][2][10]
2. Relating to atmospheric phenomena or to weather conditions: unusual meteorological conditions.^[2][6]

Word family

• nonmeteorological
• unmeteorological

Related words

• meteorology
• meteorologist
• meteor
• meteorologic

Usage notes

The OED notes reduced spellings such as meterological, which reflect a common pronunciation recorded by Webster from 1961.^[2]

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Oxford English Dictionary Online (accessed March 2026), Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
4. ^ a b c Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
5. ^ a b c d e Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
6. ^ a b c d e f g Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
7. ^ a b c The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (online 2024), 5th ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
8. ^ a b Kay, Christian; Roberts, Jane; Samuels, Michael; Wotherspoon, Irené, eds. (2009), Historical Thesaurus of the Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford: Oxford University Press; online edition (2024)
9. ^ a b Johnson, Samuel (1755), A Dictionary of the English Language, London; 4th ed. 1773; Johnson's Dictionary Online, ed. Beth Rapp Young et al.
10. ^ Dictionary.com Unabridged (2016), based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, New York: Random House