Meaning & use
millibars
Last updated
“millibars” is a form of “millibar”.
Meaning
nounpluraltechnical
Units used to measure air pressure, each equal to one thousandth of a bar.
Grammar: Plural of millibar; used with numbers: 1,013 millibars.
Patterns
- pressure of 1,000 millibars
- drop by 10 millibars
Normal sea-level pressure is about 1,013 millibars.
The storm's pressure fell to 960 millibars as it neared the coast.
The barometer reading rose by several millibars overnight.
Word forms
| singular | millibar |
|---|
Common combinations
- pressure in millibars
- The map shows pressure in millibars.
- drop in millibars
- A sharp drop in millibars warns of a storm.
- low pressure of 980 millibars
- A low pressure of 980 millibars crossed the country.
- measured in millibars
- Air pressure is measured in millibars on many charts.
- high pressure
- High pressure of over 1,030 millibars brought clear skies.
Synonyms and how they differ
- hectopascals
- Hectopascals are the modern metric name for exactly the same amount of pressure as millibars.
- mb
- Mb is the written abbreviation, used on weather charts, while millibars is the spoken word.
- bars
- Bars are one thousand times larger, so they are rarely used for weather pressure.
Word family
- millibar noun
- one unit of air pressure
- bar noun
- a larger pressure unit
- barometer noun
- an instrument that measures air pressure
- barometric adjective
- relating to air pressure
Commonly confused: millibars or millimeters?
millibars vs millimeters
Millimeters measure length, though pressure was once measured in millimeters of mercury. Millibars are a different pressure unit.
Practice
A forecaster says, "The pressure has dropped to 970 ______." Which word completes the sentence?
Choose one answer.
Millibars measure air pressure. Millimeters measure length, milligrams measure mass and milliseconds measure time.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “millibars”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.