mesosphere

noun

me·​so·​sphere ˈme-zə-ˌsfir 

ˈmē-,

-sə-

: the part of the earth's atmosphere between the stratosphere and the thermosphere in which temperature decreases with altitude to the atmosphere's absolute minimum

mesospheric

ˌme-zə-ˈsfir-ik 

ˌmē-

-sə-

-ˈsfer-

adjective

Examples of mesosphere in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Flashing through the sky, these red sprites, or red lightning streaks, arise when a sudden flow of electricity shoots through the mesosphere, around 30 miles to 50 miles above Earth. —Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 19 Mar. 2025

The Soviet rockets actually went beyond the stratosphere to another layer, called the mesosphere, where meteors falling toward Earth burn into shooting stars. —Carl Zimmer, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Feb. 2025

Even if microbes don’t ascend to the mesosphere, getting 25 miles into the air is an impressive feat. —Carl Zimmer, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Feb. 2025

With that the amount of alumina released into the mesosphere and upper stratosphere — the otherwise pristine middle layers of the atmosphere — has been skyrocketing. —Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 2 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

meso- + -sphere

First Known Use

1950, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for mesosphere

• atmosphere
• biosphere
• centromere
• chemosphere
• chromosphere
• hemisphere
• hydrosphere
• lithosphere
• microsphere
• miserere
• mountaineer
• photosphere

Kids Definition

mesosphere

noun

me·​so·​sphere ˈmez-ə-ˌsfi(ə)r 

ˈmēz-,

ˈmēs-,

ˈmes-

: a layer of the atmosphere extending from the top of the stratosphere to an altitude of about 50 miles (80 kilometers)