hypolimnion

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noun

The perpetually cold layer of water that lies beneath the thermocline of a thermally stratified lake.

OriginEnglish hypo- ← Ancient Greek ὑπο- (hupo-) ← Proto-Indo-European *upó →
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Meanings

nounhypolimnion (plural hypolimnia)

plural hypolimnia

  1. geographyThe perpetually cold layer of water that lies beneath the thermocline of a thermally stratified lake.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*upó
  2. Ancient Greekῠ̔πό (hŭpó)
  3. Ancient Greekὑπο- (hupo-)
  4. Englishhypo-
  5. Englishhypolimnion

From hypo- + -limnion.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Estonian alusvesi, hüpolimnion
  • alusvesicold layer of water
  • hüpolimnioncold layer of water
Finnish alusvesi, hypolimnion
  • alusvesicold layer of water
  • hypolimnioncold layer of water
French hypolimnion
  • hypolimnioncold layer of water
Swedish underskikt, hypolimnion
  • underskiktcold layer of water
  • hypolimnioncold layer of water
Cite this entry
APA

hypolimnion. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hypolimnion

MLA

“hypolimnion.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hypolimnion. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hypolimnion,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hypolimnion.

Source: hypolimnion on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.