hydrologic cycle

noun
1.
the natural sequence through which water passes into the atmosphere as water vapor, precipitates to earth in liquid or solid form, and ultimately returns to the atmosphere through evaporation.
Also called water cycle.
Origin
1955-60; hydrolog(y) + -ic
Examples from the web for hydrologic cycle
  • The water cycle is also known as the hydrologic cycle.
  • Once out of storage it reenters the active hydrologic cycle.
  • The hydrologic cycle will keep evaporating it from the oceans, and raining it down in varying concentrations around the world.
  • In particular, the different effects on the surface and the atmosphere mean that the hydrologic cycle would be changed.
  • It's an ongoing process known as the hydrologic cycle.
  • The movement of water between the land surface, oceans and atmosphere is called the hydrologic cycle.
  • Many renditions of the hydrologic cycle exist and they seem to be west coast centric.
  • The hydrologic cycle is the continuous movement of water through the environment.
  • These anomalies affect various components of the hydrologic cycle to produce a drought.
  • Relate this to condensation, precipitation and runoff in the hydrologic cycle.
British Dictionary definitions for hydrologic cycle

hydrologic cycle

noun
1.
another name for water cycle
hydrologic cycle in Science
hydrologic cycle
  (hī'drə-lŏj'ĭk)   

The continuous process by which water is circulated throughout the Earth and its atmosphere. The Earth's water enters the atmosphere through evaporation from bodies of water and from ground surfaces. Plants and animals also add water vapor to the air by transpiration. As it rises into the atmosphere, the water vapor condenses to form clouds. Rain and other forms of precipitation return it to the Earth, where it flows into bodies of water and into the ground, beginning the cycle again. Also called water cycle.
hydrologic cycle in Culture
hydrologic cycle [(heye-druh-loj-ik)]

The continuous circular process in which the water of the Earth evaporates from the oceans, condenses, falls to the Earth as rain or snow, and eventually returns to the oceans through run-off in rivers or streams. Some water is absorbed by plants and returned to the atmosphere as vapor.