thermocline

noun

ther·​mo·​cline ˈthər-mə-ˌklīn How to pronounce thermocline (audio)
: the region in a thermally stratified body of water which separates warmer surface water from cold deep water and in which temperature decreases rapidly with depth

Examples of thermocline in a Sentence

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Just beyond the thermocline, where the temperature abruptly drops, a hand emerged from the murk and grabbed me by the wrist, dragging me the last few inches to the bottom. — Julian Lucas, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025 The best way to target the blues during this time is to fish around the thermocline, either over deep water using floats and planer boards to suspend baits, or by fishing areas where the thermocline meets the bottom, or shallower. — The Editors, Outdoor Life, 8 June 2020

Word History

First Known Use

1898, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of thermocline was in 1898

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“Thermocline.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thermocline. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on thermocline

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about thermocline

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