8

Is there a word (or a word combination) that would include both temperature and humidity, but not other parameters? Environmental conditions springs to mind, but I feel that it describes much more than just temperature and humidity.

EDIT: I forgot to mention, but I was looking for a word that would suit a more technical context. It had to be suitable for describing the temperature and humidity in rooms and similar spaces as a technical parameter for operation of various devices, rather than perception of people. I find climate, as suggested by fahad, to be a good choice. While in many cases it would mean much more, in a technical context it can mean just that - temperature and humidity.

3
  • 2
    The word "humiture" has been used.
    – bof
    Dec 8, 2015 at 5:42
  • @bof I don't believe that's technically a real word
    – anonymous
    Dec 8, 2015 at 22:35
  • I don't know what would make it 'realer', but here's an entry for humiture
    – maccaroo
    Dec 2, 2021 at 0:40

9 Answers 9

9

If you're looking for a more colloquial word then 'Climate' could suffice. It's not perfect but depends on the context.

7
  • Ah, it is so simple, yet exactly what I was looking for. In certain context it can mean exactly that - temperature and humidity. Thank you! Dec 7, 2015 at 14:10
  • 1
    i understand where youre coming from, but i dont quite agre. climate includes barometric pressure, wind direction and speed, cloud cover, uv index... HIGH RISK OF DRIVEBY DOWNVOTING :)
    – tony gil
    Dec 7, 2015 at 14:51
  • 1
    +1, this usage is especially common in the phase "climate controlled."
    – Justin
    Dec 7, 2015 at 20:17
  • 1
    To second Tony Gil, climate is absolutely not unambiguously about temperature and humidity but not other parameters. Broadly, it is a combination of environmental conditions and phenomena. Narrowly, it can refer to any combination or or to a single one of those conditions— a monsoon climate or a Mediterranean climate, or a hot climate or a dry climate.
    – choster
    Dec 7, 2015 at 21:28
  • 1
    Indeed climate is much more encompassing than the other answers
    – C dawg
    Dec 7, 2015 at 23:20
12

Heat Index is a term that is probably what you are looking for, even though it's not a single word.

A measurement of the air temperature that factors in the effect of relative humidity, used as an indicator of the perceived temperature.

2
9

In Canada we use Humidex for precisely that.

See the article on WP for the difference with "heat index" used down south.

The humidex (short for humidity index) is an index number used by Canadian meteorologists .../... combining the effect of heat and humidity.

Although, it's been developped to describe the expected feeling that this heat and humidity will have on a person. It's not supposed to be a scientific description of the phenomenon as such, but a near-objective calculation of its effect.

7

Muggy

(of the weather) unpleasantly warm and humid.

  • It is either Muggy or Not Muggy.
  • Hot and dry is not muggy
  • Cool and moist is not muggy
  • Cool and dry is not muggy
  • Hot and moist is muggy
2
  • 1
    Muggy is a word that describes the current state of humidity+temperature. It is not a word for "temperature+humidity". The closest would be "mugginess" (if it is in fact a word). You can say "the mugginess" is high today, and you are talking about temperature+humidity. You can't say "how is the muggy today?" Dec 8, 2015 at 12:06
  • Agreed, I was looking for a noun for referring to these properties. Dec 8, 2015 at 12:06
4

Apparent temperature

"Apparent temperature is the general term for the perceived outdoor temperature, caused by the combined effects of air temperature, relative humidity and wind speed. The heat index and humidex measure the effect of humidity on the perception of temperature".

It's also widely known as Heat Index.

But even though Apparent temperature uses the wind speed to be measured most of the time, in closed places where there's no wind like football stadiums the term is still used to describe such sensation using the humidity of the air and the air temperature to do so.

For example,

A 80°F temperature combined with 90% humidity makes it "hotter"

Giving an apparent temperature of 86°F


A 80°F temperature combined with 0% humidity makes it "colder"

Giving an apparent temperature of 78°F

Even though the temperature never changed, the fact that the humidity is trapping heat and preventing your body's sweat from evaporating thus heat will not be dissipated, making your body indeed hotter.

3

Wet Bulb temperature is the lowest temperature that can be reached under current ambient conditions by the evaporation of water only. This is in contrast to Dry Bulb temperature, which is what the weather reports. Wet Bulb is somewhat a combination of Temperature and Humidity; it is a useful to determine how cool someone can get by sweating. At 100% humidity Wet Bulb is equal to Dry Bulb.

For fun trivia, a sustained wet-bulb temperature exceeding 35 °C (95 °F) is likely to be fatal even to fit and healthy people, unclothed, in the shade, next to a fan. At this temperature our bodies switch from shedding heat to the environment to gaining heat from it.

1
  • This is what Chemical Engineers use when describing that concept in psychrometrics. Dec 8, 2015 at 14:58
2

sul·try /ˈsəltrē/

adjective: sultry; comparative adjective: sultrier; superlative adjective: sultriest

1.
(of the air or weather) hot and humid.
2
  • @GreenAsJade in your description of "heat+temperature" which do use to indicate humidity? Dec 8, 2015 at 11:58
  • 1
    Sultry is a word that describes the current state of the prevailing humidity+temperature. It is not a word for "temperature+humidity". The closest would be "sultriness" (if it were a word). You could say "the sultriness" is high today, and you are talking about temperature+humidity. You can't say "how is the sultry today?" Dec 8, 2015 at 12:05
1

There is no concept that embraces both temperature AND humidity.

Though many composite indices take these into account, they tend to be goal oriented: temperature + humidity for beachgoing, t+h for cropdusting, t+h for skiing, t+h for racecar driving, t+h for rocket launching, etc etc

1
  • 1
    You are correct, I should have mentioned the context. It was oriented towards temperature and humidity in rooms and similar spaces, but as a technical parameter for the operation of various devices, rather than perception of people. I find "climate" to be suitable. Dec 7, 2015 at 15:02
0

Relative Humidity is often used in the US to relate temperature and humidity.

1

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.