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.

thermoelectron
An electron emitted by a very hot object.
thermoesthesiometer, thermoaesthesiometer (s) (noun); thermoesthesiometers; thermoaesthesiometers (pl)
An instrument for measuring the sensibility of the skin to heat: When John, the medical technician, applied the thermoesthesiometer to Brian's arm, he jerked away in pain.
thermoexcitatory (adjective), more thermoexcitatory, most thermoexcitatory
Stimulating the formation of heat in the body.
thermoexcitory (adjective), more thermoexcitory, most thermoexcitory
Descriptive of stimulating the production of bodily heat.
thermoforming
A category of processing methods that use vacuum, air pressure, or mechanical energy to force a heated thermoplastic sheet into the shape of a mold; after cooling, the plastic part is removed from the mold and trimmed; used for boats, and components ranging from blister or bubble packaging to fender liners on automobiles.
thermogenesis, thermogenic, thermogenetic
1. The production of heat; specifically, the physiological process of heat production in the body; especially, of an animal body.
2. A process of heat production in an organism by means of various physiological processes; particularly, by the cells of the body.
thermogenics
The science or study of the mechanisms of heat production.
thermogenous, thermogeny
Caused by the elevation of temperature or by heat.
thermogeographical, thermogeographic (adjective); more thermogeographical, most thermogeographical; more thermogeographic, most thermogeographic
A reference to the study of the geographical variants and distributions of temperatures: Sally read about thermogeographical changes in weather which referred to the degrees of coldness or hotness in the atmosphere which were recorded over he last 100 years.
thermogeography (s) (noun) (no pl)
The investigation of the geographical distributions and variations of temperatures: Included in thermogeography are the changes or deviations in the degrees of heat or of coldness in the air throughout the world, or in a particular area.
thermogram
1. A regional temperature map of the surface of a part of the body, obtained by an infrared sensing device; it measures radiant heat, and thus subcutaneous blood flow, if the environment is constant.
2. A photograph or image produced by infra-red radiation emanating naturally from the subject under study.
thermograph
1. A self-recording thermometer that measures both air and soil temperature on a continuous display known as a thermogram.
2. A photographic record of the amount of heat radiated from the surface of a body, revealing "hot spots" of potential tumors or other disorders.
3. An instrument consisting of a thermometer, an inked stylus, and a chart for the continuous recording of the ambient or surrounding-air temperature.
4. Essentially, a self-recording thermometer that continuously records the temperature on a chart.
thermographer
Someone who produces a thermogram or a technique for detecting and measuring variations in the heat emitted by various regions of the body and transforming them into visible signals that can be recorded photographically; as for diagnosing abnormal or diseased underlying conditions.
thermography
1. In medicine, a technique wherein an infrared camera is used to photographically portray the surface temperatures of the body, based on the self-emanating infrared radiation; sometimes employed as a means of diagnosing underlying pathologic processes, such as breast tumors.
2. The technique for making a thermogram or an image, or record, of the heat radiating from the body.
3. A procedure for sensing and recording on film the hot and cold areas of the body by means of an infrared detector that reacts to blood flow and produces images that reveal sites of abnormal tissue growth.

Disease conditions which show increased or decreased blood flow that presents thermographic patterns which can be distinguished from those of normal areas.

thermogravimeter
An analytical instrument for measuring changes in the mass of a substance during temperature changes.

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-.