climatically

Climatically is an adverb derived from the adjective climatic. It is used to refer to matters related to climate or to indicate how climate influences a phenomenon. In scientific and analytical writing, climatically describes patterns, effects, or conditions that arise from the climate, as opposed to non-climatic factors.

Etymology and usage notes: The form comes from climatic, which itself derives from climate, from Latin climata, ultimately from Greek klima (region, zone). The adverbial suffix -ly attaches to climatic in English to yield climatically; the term has been attested since the early modern period. In contemporary usage, climatically is most common in geography, climatology, ecology, and climate science, where discussions center on long-term patterns such as temperature, precipitation, and extremes and how these patterns shape systems like agriculture, ecosystems, or human activity.

Examples: The region is climatically diverse, comprising desert and temperate zones within a single country. Climatically induced variations in rainfall have altered crop yields over recent decades. Climate models project climatically driven shifts in phenology and seasonal cycles.

Notes: Climatically should not be confused with climactic, which means relating to a climax. See also climatic, climate, climatology, climate change, meteorology, and geography.

See also: climatic, climate, climatology, climate change, meteorology, geography.