# atmosphere

Pronunciation: say "AT-muhs-feer" US /ˈætməsˌfɪɹ/, UK /ˈæt.məsˌfɪə(ɹ)/

## Noun

1. The body of gases surrounding the Earth, or surrounding any other planet, star, or object in space.
   - Simple: The layer of gases that surrounds the Earth or another body in space.
   - _Spacecraft heat up dramatically as they re-enter the atmosphere._
   - _Each planet's atmosphere differs in thickness and chemical makeup._
2. The apparent mood or feeling sensed in a particular environment.
   - Simple: The general feeling or mood that a place seems to have.
   - _The old library had an atmosphere of quiet concentration._
   - _Festive decorations gave the whole street a cheerful atmosphere._
3. The conditions, such as music and lighting, that shape the mood felt in an environment.
   - Simple: The things like music and lighting in a place that help create a mood.
   - _The director used dim lighting and a low hum to build atmosphere in the scene._
   - _Caterers manage food, decor, and music to control the atmosphere of an event._
4. The air contained within a particular location or enclosed space.
   - Simple: The air that fills a particular room or place.
   - _Ventilation systems keep the atmosphere in the factory breathable._
   - _The atmosphere inside the greenhouse stayed warm and humid all winter._
5. A unit of pressure equal to 101,325 pascals, roughly the atmospheric pressure at sea level.
   - Simple: A unit for measuring pressure, about the same as the air pressure at sea level.
   - _The tank was pressurized to three atmospheres before testing._
   - _Standard sea-level pressure is defined as one atmosphere._
6. Background performers in a scene who have no spoken lines.
   - Simple: People who appear in the background of a film or TV scene without speaking.
   - _She spent her first summer in Los Angeles working as atmosphere, crossing the street behind the stars in take after take._
   - _Casting brought in additional atmosphere to populate the ballroom._

## Origin

Borrowed from French atmosphère, from New Latin atmosphaera, which comes from the Ancient Greek words ἀτμός (atmós, "steam") and σφαῖρα (sphaîra, "sphere").

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/atmosphere (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).