thermochromism: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Technical/Scientific
Quick answer
What does “thermochromism” mean?
The property of a substance changing colour with a change in temperature.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The property of a substance changing colour with a change in temperature.
The reversible or permanent colour change of a material due to thermal energy, often applied in smart materials, textiles, safety indicators, and novelty products.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No lexical or spelling differences. Usage is identical in scientific contexts.
Connotations
Purely technical, without regional connotations.
Frequency
Extremely rare in general discourse. Equal low frequency in specialised academic and industrial texts in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “thermochromism” in a Sentence
The [material] exhibits thermochromism.Thermochromism is observed in [compound].Researchers studied the thermochromism of [substance].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “thermochromism” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The thermochromic pigment in the toy loses its colour when warmed.
- They developed a thermochromic window film.
American English
- The thermochromic dye in the shirt changes color when you sweat.
- We're testing a thermochromic roof coating.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, may appear in patents, R&D reports, or marketing for smart materials (e.g., 'Our mug utilises thermochromism to indicate drink temperature').
Academic
Primary domain. Used in chemistry, physics, and materials science papers (e.g., 'The mechanism of thermochromism in liquid crystals was investigated').
Everyday
Virtually non-existent. Might be encountered in descriptions of mood rings or colour-changing mugs.
Technical
Core term in materials science, chemical engineering, and specialised manufacturing (e.g., 'The ink's thermochromism activates at 31°C').
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “thermochromism”
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “thermochromism”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “thermochromism”
- Misspelling as 'thermocromism' (missing 'h').
- Using it as an adjective (e.g., 'It is very thermochromism'); the adjective is 'thermochromic'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Thermochromism is a colour change triggered by temperature, while photochromism is triggered by light (like transition lenses in glasses).
Yes, a 'mood ring' or a colour-changing bath toy that reacts to warm water are classic, if simplistic, examples.
Not always. While many applications use reversible thermochromism, some materials undergo permanent, irreversible colour changes upon heating.
The adjective is 'thermochromic', as in 'thermochromic ink' or 'thermochromic behaviour'.
The property of a substance changing colour with a change in temperature.
Thermochromism is usually technical/scientific in register.
Thermochromism: in British English it is pronounced /ˌθɜːməʊˈkrəʊmɪz(ə)m/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌθɜːrmoʊˈkroʊmɪzəm/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: THERMO (heat) + CHROM (colour) + ISM (a process or condition). It's the 'ism' or condition of colour-by-heat.
Conceptual Metaphor
TEMPERATURE IS A PAINTER (e.g., 'Heat paints the material a different hue').
Practice
Quiz
In which field is the term 'thermochromism' MOST commonly used?