- climate (n.)
- late 14c., Scottish, from Old French climat, from Latin clima (genitive climatis) "region, slope of the Earth," from Greek klima "region, zone," from root of klinein "to slope," thus "slope of the Earth from equator to pole," from PIE root *klei- "to lean" (see lean (v.)). The angle of sun on the slope of the Earth's surface defined the zones assigned by early geographers. Meaning moved from "region" to "weather associated with a region" by c.1600. Related: Climatography.