Temperature Terms Glossary
Plain-language definitions of the temperature terms used across this site and the Temperature Checker app. For wellness and record keeping only - nothing here interprets readings.
- Body temperature log
- A personal record of temperature readings you take with your own thermometer, with the date, time, and a short note for each entry. Body temperature log template.
- Celsius (°C)
- A temperature scale on which water freezes at 0° and boils at 100° at sea level. It is used in most of the world. Celsius to Fahrenheit converter.
- Fahrenheit (°F)
- A temperature scale on which water freezes at 32° and boils at 212°. It is commonly used in the United States. Celsius to Fahrenheit converter.
- Feels-like temperature
- An estimate of how warm or cold the air feels to people, combining the air temperature with humidity (in heat) or wind (in cold).
- Heat index
- A feels-like estimate for warm weather that combines air temperature and relative humidity. Higher humidity makes a given temperature feel hotter. Heat index calculator.
- Kelvin (K)
- The SI base unit of temperature, starting at absolute zero (0 K = −273.15 °C). It is used mainly in science. Temperature unit converter.
- Manual logging
- Recording readings by hand rather than measuring them automatically. The app stores and organizes the values you enter.
- Profile
- A separate record for one person or pet, so each temperature history stays organized and easy to tell apart.
- Reading
- A single temperature value shown on your thermometer at a moment in time, which you then record in your log.
- Relative humidity
- The amount of moisture in the air compared with the most it could hold at that temperature, shown as a percentage.
- Room comfort awareness
- Paying attention to factors like weather, feels-like temperature, ventilation, and humidity, rather than a precise room measurement. Room comfort checklist.
- Temperature difference
- The gap between two readings, found by subtracting one from the other (converting units first if they differ). Temperature difference calculator.
- Ventilation
- The movement of fresh air through a space, which affects how comfortable a room feels.
- Wellness awareness
- Keeping general, non-medical personal records to stay aware of everyday patterns. It does not diagnose or interpret readings.
- Wind chill
- A feels-like estimate for cold weather that combines air temperature and wind speed. Faster wind makes a given temperature feel colder. Wind chill calculator.