thermo-, therm-, thermi-, -thermia, -therm, -thermal, -thermic, -thermias, -thermies, -thermous, -thermy

(Greek: heat, heating, heater, hot, warm)

The term heat is employed in ordinary language in different senses. Some scientists distinguish four principal applications of the term:

  1. Sensation of heat.
  2. Temperature, or degree of hotness.
  3. Quantity of thermal energy.
  4. Radiant heat, or energy of radiation.

photothermy
Involving both light and heat.
photovoltaic-thermal
Describing a photovoltaic system that, in addition to converting sunlight into electricity, collects the residual heat energy and delivers both heat and electricity in usable form.
pneumothermomassage
Application of hot air to the body under varying degrees of pressure.
poikilotherm
An animal whose temperature varies with the temperature of the surrounding environment; such as, an invertebrate, fish, or amphibious animal.

To a degree, behavioral responses help to maintain stability of body temperature and to counter the loss of body heat.

Also called: allotherm, ectotherm, and heterotherm

poikilothermal
A reference to poikilothermy.

Also, exothermal.

poikilothermic
Exhibiting or characterized by poikilothermy.

Also referred to as, ectothermic, exothermic, and heterothermic.

poikilothermy
Fluctuation in body temperature in response to temperature changes in the environment, characteristic of all animals except mammals and birds. Also called, heterothermy, ectothermy.
radiothermy
Diathermy effected by heat from radiant sources.
soil thermograph
An instrument that creates a photographic representation of the heat of a designated underground area.

It consists of a sensing element that transmits data to a remote recording device.

soil thermometer, earth thermometer
An instrument, commonly a mercury-in-glass thermometer, that is used to measure the temperature of soils.
solar thermal energy
The conversion of the radiant energy from the sun into heat, which can then be used for such purposes as space and hot water heating, industrial process heat, or power generation.

Solar thermal energy can be used for such applications as, space heating, air conditioning, hot water, industrial process heat, drying, distillation and desalination, and electrical power.

stenotherm, stenothermy
1. Capable of living or growing only within a limited range of temperature.
2. Resisting only slight changes in temperatures.
stenothermal
A reference to an organism that is able to survive in only a narrow range of environmental temperatures.
stenothermia, stenothermic
Organisms adaptable only to slight variations in temperature.
stenothermophilic
Tolerant of, or having a fondness for, only a narrow range of high temperatures.
Quiz You can find self-scoring quizzes over many of the words in this subject area by going to this Thermo- Vocabulary Quizzes page.

Related "heat, hot" word units: ferv-; pyreto-.

Related "bubble" word unit: ebulli-.