clime: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1/C2 (Low-Frequency)Poetic, literary, formal, archaic
Quick answer
What does “clime” mean?
A region considered with reference to its climate.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A region considered with reference to its climate; a climate.
Used poetically or rhetorically to refer to a country, region, or place, often with implications of its prevailing atmospheric or social conditions.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or use. Slightly more prevalent in British literary contexts.
Connotations
Conveys a slightly old-fashioned, romantic, or adventurous tone in both varieties.
Frequency
Very low frequency in both, marginally higher in British English due to its historical literary corpus.
Grammar
How to Use “clime” in a Sentence
seek out + [adjective] + climesretire to + [adjective] + climestravel to + [adjective] + climesin + [possessive] + climesVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “clime” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- (No verb form)
American English
- (No verb form)
adverb
British English
- (No adverb form)
American English
- (No adverb form)
adjective
British English
- (No direct adjective form. Use 'climatic'.)
American English
- (No direct adjective form. Use 'climatic'.)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might appear in high-end tourism marketing: 'Invest in property in sunnier climes.'
Academic
Rare, except in historical, geographical, or literary studies discussing texts.
Everyday
Almost never used in casual conversation. Sounds deliberately poetic or humorous.
Technical
Not used in technical meteorology. 'Climate' is the precise term.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “clime”
- Using 'clime' as a singular, everyday synonym for 'weather' (e.g., 'The clime today is rainy' - Incorrect).
- Using it without a descriptive adjective sounds odd (e.g., 'I visited a clime' - Unnatural).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. While they share an etymological root, 'climate' is the standard, neutral term. 'Clime' is a poetic, literary word that refers to a region *characterised by* its climate.
You can, but it will sound deliberately poetic, old-fashioned, or humorous. In normal speech, 'region', 'area', or simply 'place' is more natural.
Overwhelmingly in the plural ('climes'), almost always preceded by a descriptive adjective like 'warmer', 'southern', or 'foreign'.
'Climate' refers specifically to the prevailing weather conditions. 'Clime' is a metonym—it uses the climate to refer to the entire geographical and cultural region associated with it.
A region considered with reference to its climate.
Clime is usually poetic, literary, formal, archaic in register.
Clime: in British English it is pronounced /klaɪm/, and in American English it is pronounced /klaɪm/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “sunny/warmer climes (a cliché for pleasant holiday destinations)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'clime' as the poetic cousin of 'climate'. It rhymes with 'time'—'a different place in a different clime'.
Conceptual Metaphor
A REGION IS ITS WEATHER (Metonymy). The characteristic weather stands for the whole place.
Practice
Quiz
In which context would the word 'clime' be MOST appropriate?