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Origin and history of isotherm

isotherm(n.)

"line connecting points on the earth having the same mean temperature," 1850, from French isotherme (von Humboldt, 1817), from Greek isos "equal, identical" (see iso-) + therme "heat" (see thermal (adj.)).

also from 1850

Entries linking to isotherm

thermal(adj.)

1756, "having to do with hot springs," from French thermal (Buffon), from Greek thermē "heat, feverish heat" (from PIE root *gwher- "to heat, warm"). The sense of "having to do with heat" is recorded by 1837. The noun meaning "rising current of relatively warm air" is recorded from 1933.

isothermal(adj.)

1816, literally "of equal heat," from French isotherme (see isotherm) + -al (1). As a noun, "isothermal line," from 1849.

iso-

before vowels often is-, word-forming element meaning "equal, similar, identical; isometric," from Greek isos "equal to, the same as; equally divided; fair, impartial (of persons); even, level (of ground)," as in isometor "like one's mother." In English used properly only with words of Greek origin; the Latin equivalent is equi- (see equi-).

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    Old English bedd "bed, couch, resting place; garden plot," from Proto-Germanic *badja- (source also of Old Frisian, Old Saxon bed, Middle Dutch bedde, Old Norse beðr, Old High German betti, German Bett, Gothic badi "bed"). This is said to mean perhaps "sleeping place dug in the g

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