thermohaline

adjective

ther·​mo·​ha·​line ˌthər-mō-ˈhā-ˌlīn  -ˈha- 

: involving or dependent upon the conjoint effect of temperature and salinity

thermohaline circulation in the Pacific

Examples of thermohaline in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Thanks to a multistage configuration of evaporators and condensers organized into upper and lower sections, water flows in eddies, mimicking the thermohaline circulation of deep-ocean currents controlled by temperature and salinity. —Angela Wang, The Christian Science Monitor, 7 Nov. 2023

Word History

Etymology

therm- + Greek hal-, hals salt — more at salt

First Known Use

1942, in the meaning defined above