meteorologist: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Formal/Technical
Quick answer
What does “meteorologist” mean?
A scientist who studies the atmosphere, weather processes, and forecasts the weather.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A scientist who studies the atmosphere, weather processes, and forecasts the weather.
A professional or academic expert in meteorology; a person, often appearing on television or other media, who interprets and communicates weather forecasts to the public.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. The job title is identical. The field of study 'meteorology' is pronounced with the primary stress on the third syllable in RP, but often on the second syllable in GenAm.
Connotations
Neutral professional title in both varieties. In popular culture, associated with broadcast media.
Frequency
Equally common in both varieties. The shortened, informal term 'meteorologist' is preferred over 'weather forecaster' in professional and academic contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “meteorologist” in a Sentence
meteorologist for [organisation]meteorologist at [organisation]meteorologist with [organisation]meteorologist specialising in [area]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “meteorologist” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- To work as a meteorologist requires extensive training.
American English
- She hopes to meteorologize for a national network. (Note: 'meteorologize' is extremely rare and non-standard; 'work as a meteorologist' is correct.)
adverb
British English
- He predicted the rain meteorologistly. (Note: No standard adverb form; 'from a meteorological perspective' is used.)
American English
- The data was analysed meteorologistly. (Note: No standard adverb form; 'meteorologically' is the correct adverb from 'meteorological'.)
adjective
British English
- The meteorologist report was published in the quarterly journal. (Correct: 'meteorological report')
American English
- He provided a meteorologist perspective on the storm. (Correct: 'meteorological perspective')
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in contexts like aviation, agriculture, shipping, and insurance for risk assessment.
Academic
Core term in Earth sciences, environmental science, and physics departments.
Everyday
Most commonly encountered in news and weather reports.
Technical
Specific role in data analysis, modelling, climatology, and synoptic meteorology.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “meteorologist”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “meteorologist”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “meteorologist”
- Misspelling as 'meterologist', 'metorologist', or 'metereologist'.
- Confusing with 'astrologist' due to superficial phonetic similarity.
- Using 'weatherman' in formal or gender-neutral contexts.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. A meteorologist is a qualified scientist. A weather presenter may be a trained meteorologist, but could also be a broadcaster without a scientific degree in meteorology.
A meteorologist focuses on short-term weather conditions and forecasting. A climatologist studies long-term climate patterns, trends, and changes over decades or centuries.
Strong foundations in mathematics, physics, and computer science are essential, typically followed by a university degree in meteorology, atmospheric science, physics, or a related earth science.
It comes from the Greek 'meteōrologia', from 'meteōron' (thing in the air, phenomenon). The 'eo' spelling reflects this Greek origin.
A scientist who studies the atmosphere, weather processes, and forecasts the weather.
Meteorologist is usually formal/technical in register.
Meteorologist: in British English it is pronounced /ˌmiːtiəˈrɒlədʒɪst/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌmiːtiəˈrɑːlədʒɪst/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “(as) unpredictable as a meteorologist's forecast (humorous, ironic)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a person studying things in the 'meteor' sphere - not space rocks, but the atmosphere! A METEORologist studies what happens in the air.
Conceptual Metaphor
WEATHER FORECASTER IS A TRANSLATOR (translates complex data into public information).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary field of study for a meteorologist?