langley

noun

lang·​ley ˈlaŋ-lē How to pronounce langley (audio)
plural langleys
: a unit of solar radiation equivalent to one gram calorie per square centimeter of irradiated surface

Examples of langley in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
One langley is the amount of energy required over a square centimeter to raise the temperature of one gram of water by one degree Celsius. Tom Skilling, chicagotribune.com, 27 June 2018 Using 42 degrees N for the latitude of Chicago, about 300 langleys of radiation per day are received on the winter solstice, versus about 950 on the summer solstice. Tom Skilling, chicagotribune.com, 4 July 2017 Dear Tom, Several years ago, the Tribune weather page compared the amount of solar radiation, measured in langleys, on the winter and summer solstices. Tom Skilling, chicagotribune.com, 4 July 2017 Dear Tom, Several years ago, the Tribune weather page compared the amount of solar radiation, measured in langleys, on the winter and summer solstices. Tom Skilling, chicagotribune.com, 4 July 2017

Word History

Etymology

Samuel P. Langley

First Known Use

1947, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of langley was in 1947

Dictionary Entries Near langley

Cite this Entry

“Langley.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/langley. Accessed 15 Nov. 2024.

Geographical Definition

Langley

geographical name

Lang·​ley ˈlaŋ-lē How to pronounce Langley (audio)
municipality east-southeast of Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada population 104,177

Biographical Definition

Langley

biographical name

Lang·​ley ˈlaŋ-lē How to pronounce Langley (audio)
Samuel Pierpont 1834–1906 American astronomer and airplane pioneer

More from Merriam-Webster on langley

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!