- the gaseous envelope surrounding the earth; the air: a weather balloon rising high into the atmosphere.
- this medium at a given place: the warm, dry atmosphere of the Joshua tree's natural environment.
- the gaseous envelope surrounding a heavenly body: The white ovals seen in Saturn's atmosphere could be intense storms.
- any gaseous envelope or medium: The ether was treated with a sulfate in an atmosphere of coal gas.
- a conventional unit of pressure, the normal pressure of the air at sea level, about 14.7 pounds per square inch (101.3 kilopascals), equal to the pressure exerted by a column of mercury 29.92 inches (760 millimeters) high. Abbreviation: atm.
- a surrounding or pervading mood, environment, or influence: an atmosphere of impending war;a very tense atmosphere.
- the dominant mood or emotional tone of a work of art, as of a play or novel: the chilly atmosphere of a ghost story.
- a distinctive quality, as of a place; character: The old part of town has lots of atmosphere.
- the background sound that is present, or would naturally be present, in the location where a recording or broadcast is made, often recorded as a separate track and then mixed; ambient sound.
- to give an atmosphere to: The author had cleverly atmosphered the novel for added chills.
- the gaseous envelope surrounding the earth or any other celestial body
- the air or climate in a particular place
- a general pervasive feeling or mood
- the prevailing tone or mood of a novel, symphony, painting, or other work of art
- a special mood or character associated with a place
- any local gaseous environment or medium
- a unit of pressure; the pressure that will support a column of mercury 760 mm high at 0°C at sea level. 1 atmosphere is equivalent to 101 325 newtons per square metre or 14.72 pounds per square inch
