thermal
🇬🇧 /ˈθɜːməl/
🇺🇸 /ˈθɜrməl/
📖 Definitions
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adjective
Relating to or caused by heat; of or pertaining to temperature or the transfer of heat energy.; Designed to retain body heat or provide insulation against cold temperatures.; Relating to or produced by hot springs or geothermal sources.; Relating to or involving the detection of infrared radiation emitted by objects based on their temperature.
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noun
A rising column of warm air, especially one used by gliders, birds, or hang gliders to gain altitude without an engine.; A garment, typically underwear, designed to provide insulation and retain body heat.; A hot spring or geothermal spring, especially one used for therapeutic bathing.
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adjective
Of or relating to a thermometer or the measurement of temperature.
🔗 Details
Word forms
countable
Plural: thermals
Collocations
thermal energythermal conductivitythermal insulationthermal expansionthermal radiationthermal imagingthermal underwear
Derivatives
thermallythermals
Synonyms
caloricheat-relatedupdraft
Commonly confused
thermic
EN: 'Thermic' is a rare, largely obsolete synonym of 'thermal' that is almost never used in modern English.
Spelling tips
EN: No common spelling issues. Note that 'thermal' is a classifying (non-gradable) adjective, so it does not normally take comparative or superlative forms.
💬 Examples
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The thermal conductivity of copper makes it ideal for heat exchangers.
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She wore thermal underwear beneath her ski suit to stay warm on the slopes.
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The town is famous for its thermal baths, which attract tourists from around the world.
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The rescue team used a thermal camera to locate survivors trapped in the collapsed building.
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The pilot circled within the thermal, climbing steadily until she reached cloud base.
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He packed his thermals before heading out on the winter camping trip.
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The Romans built elaborate bathhouses around the thermals in Bath, England.
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The thermal scale on the instrument was calibrated in degrees Celsius.