atmosphere

noun

SayAT-muhs-feer/ˈætməsˌfɪɹ/UK/ˈæt.məsˌfɪə(ɹ)/

6 meanings of atmosphere

1
nouncountable or uncountable
The layer of gases that surrounds the Earth or another body in space.
Like a blanket of air wrapped around a planet.
The Earth's atmosphere protects us from harmful rays of the sun.
Mars has a thin atmosphere made mostly of carbon dioxide.
Note
2
nounfigurativelycountable or uncountable
The general feeling or mood that a place seems to have.
Like the feeling you get walking into a party before anyone says a word.
The little café had a warm, friendly atmosphere.
A tense atmosphere filled the room before the results were read.
Similarmood, feeling
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3
nounfigurativelycountable or uncountable
The things like music and lighting in a place that help create a mood.
Like turning the lights down low and playing soft music to make a room feel calm.
Soft lighting and slow jazz created a relaxing atmosphere.
The restaurant spent a lot on atmosphere, from candles to background music.
Similarambiance, air
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4
nouncountable or uncountable
The air that fills a particular room or place.
Like the stale air you notice when you open a room that has been closed up.
The atmosphere in the crowded subway car felt stuffy and hot.
Miners check the atmosphere underground for dangerous gases.
Similarair
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5
nouncountable or uncountable
A unit for measuring pressure, about the same as the air pressure at sea level.
Like measuring weight in pounds, this measures air's push using sea level as the standard.
The weather forecaster noted the pressure had dropped below one atmosphere.
Divers feel an extra atmosphere of pressure for every ten meters they descend.
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6
noununcountable
People who appear in the background of a film or TV scene without speaking.
The director hired extra atmosphere to fill the busy market scene.
On the first day of filming, the atmosphere was told to walk slowly past the café window.
Similarextras, background
Note

Practice

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Origin

It comes from French atmosphère, based on Greek words meaning "steam" and "sphere."