Āt'mos-phēr'ic1, a.
{ a. [Fr. atmosphérique.]
2 entries under this word
Atmospheric
Āt'mos-phēr'ic or -al2, a.
a. 1. Pertaining to, of the nature of, or resembling, the atmosphere; as, atmospheric oscillations, atmospheric air.
- Existing in the atmosphere. “Atmospheric or meteoric stones.” Dana.
- Caused, produced, or operated on by the atmosphere; as rust, decomposition, or souring is often an atmospheric effect; an atmospheric engine.
- Dependent on the atmosphere. “I am an atmospheric creature.” [Rare.] Pope.
Atmospheric engine, a steam engine whose piston descends by the pressure of the atmosphere, when the steam which raised it is condensed within the cylinder. Tomlinson.—Atmospheric line (Steam Engin.), the equilibrium line of an indicator-card. Steam is expanded “down to the atmosphere” when its pressure is equal to that of the atmosphere. (See illust. of Indicator-card.)—Atmospheric pressure. See PRESSURE.—Atmospheric railway, a contrivance for propelling railway trains by the pressure of the atmosphere in a tube of iron placed between the rails. Tomlinson.—Atmospheric tides. See TIDES.