Meanings
plural Kelvin scales
- A scale for measuring temperature, with zero defined as absolute zero, with kelvins as the units (equivalent to degrees Celsius).
The Kelvin scale is the standard scale for many scientific fields, but the related Celsius scale is handier for everyday life on Earth.
Synonyms & antonyms
nouna temperature scale that defines absolute zero as 0 degrees; water freezes at 273.16 degrees and boils at 373.16 degrees
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
Named after the engineer and physicist William Lord Kelvin (1824–1907), who wrote of the need for an "absolute thermometric scale".
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Polish skala Kelwina
- skala Kelwinaa scale for measuring temperature
Tagalog sukurang Kelbin
- sukurang Kelbina scale for measuring temperature
Cite this entry
Kelvin scale. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Kelvin%20scale
“Kelvin scale.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Kelvin%20scale. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Kelvin scale,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Kelvin%20scale.
Source: Kelvin scale on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.