[syn: air, aura, atmosphere]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Atmosphere \At"mos*phere\, n. [Gr. ? vapor (akin to Skr.
[=a]tman breath, soul, G. athem breath) + ? sphere: cf. F.
atmosph[`e]re. See Sphere.]
1. (Physics)
(a) The whole mass of a["e]riform fluid surrounding the
earth; -- applied also to the gaseous envelope of any
celestial orb, or other body; as, the atmosphere of
Mars.
(b) Any gaseous envelope or medium.
[1913 Webster]
An atmosphere of cold oxygen. --Miller.
[1913 Webster]
2. A supposed medium around various bodies; as, electrical
atmosphere, a medium formerly supposed to surround
electrical bodies. --Franklin.
[1913 Webster]
3. The pressure or weight of the air at the sea level, on a
unit of surface, or about 14.7 lbs. to the sq. inch.
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Hydrogen was liquefied under a pressure of 650
atmospheres. --Lubbock.
[1913 Webster]
4. Any surrounding or pervading influence or condition.
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The chillest of social atmospheres. --Hawthorne.
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5. The portion of air in any locality, or affected by a
special physical or sanitary condition; as, the atmosphere
of the room; a moist or noxious atmosphere.
[1913 Webster] Atmospheric
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
atmosphere
n 1: a particular environment or surrounding influence; "there
was an atmosphere of excitement" [syn: atmosphere,
ambiance, ambience]
2: a unit of pressure: the pressure that will support a column
of mercury 760 mm high at sea level and 0 degrees centigrade
[syn: standard atmosphere, atmosphere, atm, standard
pressure]
3: the mass of air surrounding the Earth; "there was great heat
as the comet entered the atmosphere"; "it was exposed to the
air" [syn: atmosphere, air]
4: the weather or climate at some place; "the atmosphere was
thick with fog" [syn: atmosphere, atmospheric state]
5: the envelope of gases surrounding any celestial body
6: a distinctive but intangible quality surrounding a person or
thing; "an air of mystery"; "the house had a neglected air";
"an atmosphere of defeat pervaded the candidate's
headquarters"; "the place had an aura of romance" [syn:
air, aura, atmosphere]
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:
101 Moby Thesaurus words for "atmosphere":
action, aerial, aerodynamics, aerosphere, air, ambience, ambient,
anagnorisis, angle, architectonics, architecture, argument,
arrangement, atmospheric, aura, background, balance, biosphere,
brushwork, catastrophe, character, characteristic,
characterization, climate, color, complication, composition,
continuity, contrivance, denouement, design, development, device,
draftsmanship, ecosphere, episode, fable, falling action, feel,
feeling, flavor, fluid, gas, gaseous envelope, gimmick, grouping,
halogen gas, impression, incident, individuality, inert gas, lift,
line, local color, medium, milieu, mise-en-scene, mood, motif,
movement, mythos, noosphere, note, overtone, painterliness,
peculiarity, peripeteia, perspective, plan, plot, pneumatic,
pneumatics, property, quality, recognition, rising action, scheme,
secondary plot, semblance, sense, shading, shadow, slant, spirit,
story, structure, subject, subplot, suggestion, surroundings,
switch, technique, thematic development, theme, tone, topic,
treatment, twist, undertone, values, welkin