mesopause

noun

me·​so·​pause ˈme-zə-ˌpȯz How to pronounce mesopause (audio)
ˈmē-,
-sə-
: the upper boundary of the mesosphere where the temperature of the atmosphere reaches its lowest point

Examples of mesopause in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Visit the burial site of Ham the Astrochimp, a fetching primate who uneventfully but quite involuntarily plunged through the mesopause himself in 1961. John Phillips, Car and Driver, 9 Jan. 2023 This altitude corresponds with the mesopause, which is the outermost physical boundary of Earth's atmosphere where meteors typically burn up. Eric Betz, Discover Magazine, 5 May 2021 Aura satellite showed temperatures near the mesopause increased in the past few days and are about average for this time of year. Kasha Patel, Washington Post, 1 July 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mesopause.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

mesosphere + pause

First Known Use

1950, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mesopause was in 1950

Dictionary Entries Near mesopause

Cite this Entry

“Mesopause.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mesopause. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

mesopause

noun
me·​so·​pause ˈmez-ə-ˌpȯz How to pronounce mesopause (audio)
ˈmēz-,
ˈmēs-,
ˈmes-
: the upper boundary of the mesosphere at which the temperature of the atmosphere reaches its lowest point

More from Merriam-Webster on mesopause

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