baroclinicity
|ba-ro-clin-ic-i-ty|
/ˌbærəˌklɪˈnɪsɪti/
degree of baroclinic state
Etymology
'baroclinicity' originates from New Latin and Greek roots: from Greek 'baros' (βαρός) meaning 'weight, pressure' and Greek 'klínein' (κλίνειν) meaning 'to lean' or 'slope', combined in the adjective 'baroclinic', with the noun-forming suffix '-ity' (from Latin '-itas').
'baroclinicity' developed from the adjective 'baroclinic' (coined in meteorological usage in the late 19th to early 20th century) by adding the Latin-derived suffix '-ity' to create a noun meaning 'the quality or state of being baroclinic'.
Initially used to describe the relation of pressure and density gradients (pressure vs. weight/density alignment), it evolved into the specialized meteorological/oceanographic meaning referring to the degree of nonparallelism between isobaric and isopycnic (or isothermal) surfaces and its dynamical consequences.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the state or degree to which a fluid (especially the atmosphere or ocean) is baroclinic — i.e., where surfaces of constant pressure are not parallel to surfaces of constant density (or temperature), allowing generation of thermal wind and baroclinic instability.
High baroclinicity in the mid-latitude atmosphere favored rapid cyclone development.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2026/01/17 21:54