anticyclonic

IPA/ˌantɪsaɪklˈɒnɪk/
IPA/ˌæntɪsaɪklˈɑːnɪk/

anticyclonic — adjective

1. relating to weather caused by high air pressure, with winds moving in a curve ar

1.adjectiveC2
Definition

relating to weather caused by high air pressure, with winds moving in a curve around the middle of the system

Example

Anticyclonic weather kept the picnic dry all weekend in Tainan.

anticyclonic weather = dry, calm conditions

Forecasters expect anticyclonic conditions over northern Taiwan by Tuesday morning.

forecast pattern: anticyclonic conditions

Common collocations
  • anticyclonic conditions
  • anticyclonic weather
  • anticyclonic flow
  • anticyclonic system
Synonyms
  • high-pressure

    plainer and more common outside specialist weather writing

  • settled

    describes the calm effect of the weather, not the wind pattern itself

  • stable

    broader; can describe weather that changes little without naming the pressure pattern

Antonyms
  • cyclonic

    describes weather linked with a low-pressure rotating system

  • unsettled

    focuses on changeable or stormy conditions rather than the technical pattern

Grammar Patterns

anticyclonic conditions

anticyclonic weather

remain anticyclonic

anticyclonic flow

Usage Note

Usually appears in weather reports or science writing, often before nouns such as conditions, flow, weather, or system. In everyday speech, people often use high-pressure or clear and settled instead.

Common Mistakes

Cyclonic weather brought blue skies for the holiday.
Anticyclonic weather brought blue skies for the holiday.
Anticyclonic describes high-pressure weather, while cyclonic weather is linked with lower pressure and less settled air.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Anticyclonic is the technical weather word for conditions linked with an anticyclone, so it points to the pressure pattern and the turning movement of the air. High-pressure is a less specialist choice and is common in ordinary forecasts, but it does not always suggest the same circular flow. Settled describes what the weather feels like to people on the ground: calm, dry, and not changing much. Stable is broader still, and it can be used for weather, air, or even a general situation. A forecast might mention anticyclonic flow on a chart, then tell the public to expect high-pressure weather and settled skies.

anticyclonic ↗high-pressure ↗settled ↗stable ↗

Etymology

GreekEnglish

Anticyclonic was formed in English from anticyclone and the adjective ending -ic. Anticyclone combines anti-, meaning opposite, with cyclone, a word connected with the Greek idea of a circle or wheel. The name reflects a wind pattern that turns in the opposite direction from a cyclone.