Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
Beaufort scale

Beaufort scale

7.0
A scale that measures wind strength from calm to hurricane
  • noun
  • /ˈboʊfərt skeɪl/
  • Specialized
translation icon : escala de Beaufort
  • The Beaufort scale is widely used by meteorologists.

Examples

  • According to the Beaufort scale, a gentle breeze corresponds to force 3.

  • The weather report indicated a wind speed of force 7 on the Beaufort scale.

  • Sailors often consult the Beaufort scale to assess sea conditions before departure.

  • On the Beaufort scale, a force of 6 indicates a strong breeze.

  • The meteorologist explained the Beaufort scale, which measures wind strength from 0 to 12.

  • Sailors often use the Beaufort scale to determine how strong the wind is while out at sea.

  • The Beaufort scale helps people understand the effects of wind force on the environment.

Synonyms

wind scale
vsBeaufort scale
  • Specialized
4.6

A number scale from zero to twelve used worldwide to show how strong the wind is

is the historical name for that same numbered system

Surface Forms

Beaufort scale singular
Beaufort scales plural

Morphology

Beaufort + scale

Knowing 'scale' lets a learner infer this is a system for measuring something and 'Beaufort' signals an eponymous name, so a B1 learner could guess it is a measurement system but would not be able to derive that it specifically measures wind force. Because the domain (wind strength) is not recoverable from the constituents, the relation is only partially transparent.

Etymology

Beaufort scale is named after Sir Francis Beaufort, a sea officer who made a simple number system that linked what sailors saw on the sea and on a ship's sails to how strong the wind was. That clear picture of numbers and sea conditions is why the term means 'a way to measure wind strength'.