Weatherglasses

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of instrument historically used to indicate atmospheric conditions, often composed of glass and liquid
2. Referring to a scientific device designed to measure and predict weather changes based on environmental variables
3. A historical tool that employs the principles of pressure and temperature to forecast weather changes through observed indications

Etymology: "Weatherglasses" is the plural of "weatherglass," a compound of "weather" and "glass." The earlier sense of "glass" as a mirror or lens (and, by extension, the glass-enclosed instrument it names) explains the pairing: a weatherglass was a glass vessel used to show changes in the air, which in practice meant the early barometer or related instruments. Because the parts are plain English words, the term needs little decoding; its meaning follows directly from its two elements.

Synonyms: barometers