mesothermaladj.
/ˌmɛsə(ʊ)ˈθəːml/, U.S. /ˌmɛzoʊˈθərm(ə)l/; see also meso- comb. form. 1. Chiefly Ecology. Of an environment: characterized by moderate temperatures; (of an organism) inhabiting such an environment. Cf. mesothermic adj.
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the world > matter > properties of materials > temperature > [adjective]
temperatured1892
mesothermal1901
1901 Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 28 393 In temperate countries there are plants which undergo a periodical rest, and which alternately endure low and high temperatures; these are mesothermal.
1909 Cent. Dict. Suppl. s.v. Mesothermal, relating to or exhibiting a moderate temperature or quantity of heat.
1923 F. O. Bower Ferns I. iii. 52 They are mostly mesothermal hygrophytes: that is, they flourish under moist conditions with a moderate temperature.
1931 C. W. Thornthwaite in Geogr. Rev. 21 646 On the basis of temperature efficiency summation six temperature provinces were defined. They are as follows..Tropical..Mesothermal..Microthermal..Taiga..Tundra..Frost.
1978 N.Z. Jrnl. Geol. & Geophysics 21 775 Several mesothermal species that lingered on after Waipipian time..died out during the Hautawan, which was probably cooler.
1982 R. G. Barry & R. J. Chorley Atmosphere, Weather & Climate (ed. 4) 366 Tropical wet-dry climate, 5°–25°N and S lat. Tropical rainy climate, savanna; also Temperate rainy (Humid mesothermal) climate, dry winter, hot summer.
1996 Jrnl. Applied Ichthyol. 12 153 The walleye..is a North American mesothermal freshwater teleost that spawns..in early spring.
2. Geology. Of, relating to, or designating mineral and ore deposits formed by hydrothermal action at intermediate temperature and pressure.
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the world > the earth > minerals > mineral deposits > [adjective] > types of deposit
veined1785
nodular1794
vein1822
wandering1886
warped1886
hypothermal1906
supergene1914
mesothermal1922
podiform1928
xenothermal1935
1922 W. Lindgren in Econ. Geol. 17 293 The terminology proposed..would be as follows:..A. Hydrothermal deposits. a. Epithermal. Formed by ascending hot waters near the surface in or near effusive rocks at relatively low temperature and pressure. b. Mesothermal. Formed by ascending hot waters in or near intrusive rocks at intermediate temperature and pressure. c. Hypothermal. Formed by ascending hot water in or near intrusive rocks at high temperature and pressure.
1956 Mining Mag. 94 79/1 The wall-rock alteration..and the presence of druses point to mesothermal to epithermal replacement with minor vein deposition.
1994 Internat. Geol. Rev. 36 715/1 Recent investigations on mesothermal gold deposits have attempted to constrain the nature and origin of mineralizing fluid.
3. Physics. Of the speed of an object in a plasma: less than that of the ambient electrons but higher than that of the ions.
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1967 V. C. Liu in Nature 8 July 127/1 The speed of the satellite is usually much larger than the thermal speed of the ions..and yet much smaller than that of the electrons..of the ambient plasma. Consequently the gas dynamic disturbances..behave superthermally with respect to the ionic flow; sub-thermally to the electronic flow. The word mesothermal is therefore introduced here to describe the speed of the satellite.
1989 Jrnl. Geophysical Res. 94 5441 An object moving at mesothermal speeds in a collisionless plasma.
1995 Physical Rev. E. 52 5313/1 Using Boltzmann electrons is a good approach for mesothermal flows.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2001; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1901