Meaning & use
microclimate
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
The typical weather conditions of a small area that are different from those of the surrounding region.
Grammar: Countable: a microclimate, microclimates. Often used with 'create' or 'have'.
Patterns
- a microclimate in something
- create a microclimate
- the microclimate of a place
The valley has a warm microclimate that allows tropical plants to grow.
Cities often create a microclimate that is warmer than the countryside.
The garden's south-facing wall produces a microclimate where figs can ripen.
Word forms
| plural | microclimates |
|---|
Common combinations
- create a microclimate
- The tall buildings create a microclimate that traps heat.
- warm microclimate
- This coastal area enjoys a warm microclimate in winter.
- local microclimate
- Farmers must consider the local microclimate when choosing crops.
- microclimate conditions
- The cave has its own microclimate conditions, cool and damp.
Synonyms and how they differ
- climate
- Climate refers to the weather of a large region over a long period; microclimate is a much smaller, local version.
- local climate
- Local climate is a general phrase for the weather of an area; microclimate emphasizes that it is noticeably different from nearby areas.
Word family
- microclimatic adjective
- Relating to a microclimate: 'microclimatic differences between two gardens'.
Commonly confused: microclimate or microchip?
microclimate vs microchip
Microchip is an electronic component; microclimate is about weather. They share the prefix 'micro-' but are unrelated in meaning.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'microclimate' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Microclimate' refers to the local weather conditions of a small area, so the garden example fits. The other options confuse it with 'microchip' (a tiny electronic device) or treat it as a physical object, which is wrong.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “microclimate”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.