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celsius

C2
noun

Pronunciation

UK

  • /sˈɛlsɪəs/

US

  • /ˈsɛlsiəs/

Description

Imagine stepping outside on a summer day – is it a scorching 40°C, or a pleasant 25°C? That's where Celsius comes in. Named after the Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius, this temperature scale is widely used around the world to measure heat and cold. Unlike Fahrenheit, which sets water’s freezing point at 32°F, the Celsius scale sets it at 0°C. Water boils at 100°C (at standard atmospheric pressure). So when you hear a weather report saying, "Today's high will be 30 degrees Celsius," they're telling you how hot it will feel. It’s the standard in science and in most countries, making it essential for understanding everything from cooking temperatures to global climate change.

Examples

  1. 1

    Everyday weather

    It's 22 degrees Celsius outside today.

  2. 2

    Weather forecast

    The forecast says temperatures could fall to minus 5 degrees Celsius tonight.

  3. 3

    Cooking units

    The recipe gives the oven temperature in Celsius, not Fahrenheit.

Forms and spellings

1 form open this card.

Main spelling

  • celsiusnoun