1.1 Sky

Use this domain for words related to the sky.

Louw Nida Codes: 
1B Regions Above the Earth
  • What words are used to refer to the sky?
    sky, firmament, canopy, vault
  • What words refer to the air around the earth?
    air, atmosphere, airspace, stratosphere, ozone layer
  • What words are used to refer to the place or area beyond the sky?
    heaven, space, outer space, ether, void, solar system
  • What words describe something in the sky or something that happens in the sky?
    aerial, heavenly, atmospheric, stratospheric, celestial,
  • What words describe the appearance of the sky?
    blue, clear, black (night), cloudy, cloud filled, brilliant, dark, night sky, foreboding, stormy, dark, star studded
  • What words refer to the edge of the sky where it meets the ground?
    horizon, skyline
  • What words refer to something in the sky?
    heavenly body, celestial body, luminary
  • What words refer to the lights that appear in the northern (or southern) sky?
    aurora borealis, northern lights
  • What words refer to something being in the sky?
    aloft, up in the sky, up in the air,
  • 1.1.1 Sun

    Use this domain for words related to the sun. The sun does three basic things. It moves, it gives light, and it gives heat. These three actions are involved in the meanings of most of the words in this domain. Since the sun moves below the horizon, many words refer to it setting or rising. Since the sun is above the clouds, many words refer to it moving behind the clouds and the clouds blocking its light. The sun's light and heat also produce secondary effects. The sun causes plants to grow, and it causes damage to things.

    Louw Nida Codes: 
    1D Heavenly Bodies
  • What words refer to the sun?
    sun, solar, sol, daystar, our star
  • What words refer to how the sun moves?
    rise, set, cross the sky, come up, go down, sink
  • What words refer to the time when the sun rises?
    dawn, sunrise, sunup, daybreak, cockcrow,
  • What words refer to the time when the sun is at its highest point?
    noon, zenith,
  • What words refer to the time when the sun sets?
    sunset, dusk, sundown, twilight, eventide,
  • What words refer to when the sun is shining?
    shine, sunny, bright, give light, be sunshiny, daytime,
  • What words refer to the sun shining through the clouds?
    come out, break through (the clouds), go behind (a cloud)
  • What words describe where the sun is shining?
    sunlit, be (out) in the sun, lit by the sun, shine on, be in the sunlight, sunny (spot)
  • What words describe when or where the sun doesn't shine?
    shade, eclipse of the sun, sunless, shady, shadow, eclipse (v),
  • What words refer to the light of the sun?
    sunlight, ray, sunshine, beam, light, sunbeam, radiance, glow, sparkle, glisten, glare
  • What words describe the brightness of the sun?
    bright, intense, brilliant, blinding, glaring, glistening, luminous, dim
  • What refer to the sun heating things?
    warm, heat, dry
  • What else does the sun do?
    looks down on
  • What words describe the damage done by sunlight?
    sunburn, sunstroke, suntan, tan, heatstroke, heat prostration, sun damage, fading from the sun, bleached by the sun
  • What do people use to protect themselves from the sun?
    sunglasses, shade tree, suntan lotion, awning, sun umbrella, parasol, sunbonnet, hat, visor
  • What words are used of telling time by the sun?
    sundial, angle of the sun, sun-clock, shoot the sun, position of the sun,
  • What words refer to using the power of the sun?
    solar energy, solar power, solar panel
  • 1.1.1.1 Moon

    Use this domain for words related to the moon. In your culture people may believe things about the moon. For instance in European culture people used to believe that the moon caused people to become crazy. So in English we have words like "moon-struck" and "lunatic." You should include such words in this domain.

  • What words refer to the moon?
    moon, lunar, satellite
  • What words refer to how the moon moves?
    rise, set, sink
  • What words refer to the time when the moon rises?
    moonrise, rising of the moon,
  • What words refer to the time when the moon sets?
    moonset, setting of the moon,
  • What words refer to when the moon is shining?
    moon is shining, by the light of the moon, moon is/comes out,
  • What words describe where the moon is shining?
    moonlit, be in the moonlight, lit by the moon, shine on,
  • What words describe when or where the moon doesn't shine?
    moonless night, eclipse of the moon, eclipse (v),
  • What words refer to the light of the moon?
    moonlight, moonbeam, moonshine,
  • What words describe the brightness of the moon?
    bright, pale,
  • What words describe the appearance of the moon?
    man in the moon, harvest moon
  • What words refer to the spots on the moon?
    lunar sea, crater,
  • What words refer to the phases of the moon?
    phase, new moon, full moon, half moon, quarter moon, crescent, sliver, moon is waxing (getting bigger), moon is waning (getting smaller), wax and wane
  • What words refer to the time it takes for the moon to go through its phases?
    (lunar) month
  • 1.1.1.2 Star

    Use this domain for words related to the stars and other heavenly bodies.

  • What words are used to refer to the stars?
    star, starry, stellar
  • What words describe the sky when the stars are shining?
    starlit (sky), (sky is) ablaze with stars, starry (sky), star studded (sky), stars are shining
  • What words are used for where the stars are shining?
    starlit, lit by the stars
  • What words are used for when or where the stars don't shine?
    starless (sky, night)
  • What words refer to the light of the stars?
    starlight
  • What words describe the brightness of the stars?
    bright, brilliant, dim, luminous
  • What words describe the appearance of the stars?
    twinkle, wink, glittering, star shaped
  • What words refer to the study of the stars?
    astronomy, astronomer, astrology, astrologer, stargazer, magi
  • What is a group of stars called?
    constellation, galaxy, nebula
  • 1.1.1.3 Planet

    Use this domain for words related to planets (large objects that circle the sun, looking like bright wandering stars in the sky), comets (objects that circle the sun, looking like a star with a tail), meteors (small objects that come from space and burn up when they hit the earth's atmosphere, causing a streak of light across the sky), and asteroids (small objects that circle the sun), planetary moons (large objects that circle the planets). Some cultures do not study the stars and will have few or no words in this domain. Others cultures that study the stars will have many words. There are only five planets that people can see in the sky--Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. The others are only known from the scientific study of astronomy.

  • What words refer to a planet?
    planet, planetary, wandering star
  • What are the names of the planets?
    Mercury, Venus (Morning Star, Evening Star), Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto
  • What words refer to how the planets move?
    revolve (around the sun), orbit,
  • What words refer to the sun and planets?
    solar system
  • What words refer to comets?
    comet, tail, head
  • What do comets do?
    appear, point, fade
  • What words refer to meteors?
    meteor, shooting star, falling star, meteor trail, meteor shower
  • What do meteors do?
    flash across the sky, blaze a trail across the sky, strike the earth, make a crater, burn up
  • What words are used for when a meteor hits the earth?
    meteorite, meteor crater
  • What is a small planet called?
    asteroid, moon
  • 1.1.2 Air

    Use this domain for words related to the air around us, including the air we breathe and the atmosphere around the earth.

    Louw Nida Codes: 
    2B Air
  • What words refer to the air we breathe?
    air
  • What words refer to how much water is in the air?
    humid, humidity, damp, dry, sticky, muggy
  • What words describe good air (such as when the air in a room is clean or doesn't smell bad)?
    fresh air, airy, well ventilated
  • What words describe bad air (such as when the air in a room is dirty, hot, smells bad, or too many people are breathing)?
    stuffy, airless, stifling, polluted, air pollution, smog
  • 1.1.2.1 Blow air

    Use this domain for words related to causing air to move.

  • What words refer to causing air to move?
    blow, fan, exhaust, expel, explode
  • What words refer to letting air blow through something?
    air out, ventilate
  • What words refer to putting air into something (such as a tire or balloon)?
    blow up, inflate, pump up, pneumatic
  • What words refer to keeping air out of something?
    seal, airtight
  • What words refer to how much air is in something?
    air pressure, vacuum
  • What words refer to using the wind to winnow grain?
    winnow
  • What tools and machines are used to create or use the wind?
    fan, air pump, bellows, ventilator, wind tunnel, propeller, air pipe, airshaft, vent, chimney, exhaust, funnel, windmill, sail, valve
  • 1.1.3 Weather

    Use this domain for words related to the weather.

    OMC Codes: 
    132 Climate
    Louw Nida Codes: 
    14A Weather
  • What words refer to the weather?
    weather, weather conditions, atmospheric (conditions)
  • What words describe the weather when it is good?
    sunny, sunshine, clear (weather), good (weather), fair (weather), fine (day)
  • What words describe the weather when it is getting better?
    clear, clear up, sun comes out,
  • What words describe the weather when it is bad?
    bad, terrible, foul, inclement, rough, dirty sky, severe
  • What words describe the weather when it is getting worse?
    cloud up, deteriorate
  • What words describe the weather when it changes?
    (cold/warm/storm) front
  • What words describe the weather when it stays the same?
    stretch (of good weather), keep up
  • What words are used to describe any kind of weather?
    rain or shine, all weather, in all weathers
  • What words describe the temperature?
    temperature, hot, warm, heat, cold, chilly, crisp, mild, unseasonably warm/cold, scorching, heat wave, cold spell, cold snap, frigid, freezing, be a chill in the air,
  • What words describe the weather when there is a lot of water in the air?
    humid, humidity, damp, sultry
  • What words refer to the type of weather a place normally has?
    climate, dry/wet/cold/hot climate, tropical, temperate
  • What words describe something that has been exposed to the weather for a long time?
    weather-beaten, weathered
  • What words refer to studying the weather?
    meteorology, meteorologist, weatherman
  • What instruments are used to study the weather?
    thermometer, barometer, weathervane
  • What words refer to a report about the weather?
    weather forecast, weather report, the weather, the outlook
  • 1.1.3.1 Wind

    Use this domain for words related to the wind. Some words refer to when the wind begins and ends. The wind changes in speed, so some words refer to how fast the wind is moving. Try to rank these on a scale from very slow to very fast. These words may also be distinguished by what the wind does, since a fast wind does more things. These words may also be distinguished by how long the wind blows. Some words refer to the speed of the wind becoming faster or slower. Some words distinguish a steady wind from a wind in which the speed keeps changing. Some words refer to when the speed of the wind becomes faster for a short time. A steady wind moves in a particular direction, so there are words that include the direction of the wind. The direction of the wind may refer to the points of the compass, a neighboring geographical feature or area, or the direction in which the speaker is moving. Some words refer to a wind that moves in a small circle, making a pillar of dust or a funnel-shaped cloud. Some words refer to what the wind does, such as when it moves or damages something. People can feel the wind, so some words refer to how it feels. The wind makes noise, so there are words that refer to the sound of the wind. In some cultures there is a relation between the wind and spirits, so some words may refer to the activity of the spirits in the wind, or that the wind brings disease.

    Louw Nida Codes: 
    14B Wind
  • What general words refer to the wind?
    wind, windy, wind current
  • What words describe a wind that only lasts a short time?
    breath of air, puff of wind, gust, blast, flurry
  • What words describe a steady wind?
    steady wind, trade wind, monsoon winds
  • What words describe a wind that comes and goes?
    intermittent, gusty, blustery
  • What words describe a strong wind?
    heavy wind, strong wind, squall, gale, stormy wind, howling wind
  • What words describe a light wind?
    light wind, gentle wind, draft, draught, breeze, breezy, zephyr
  • What words describe a windstorm?
    windstorm, sandstorm, tempest, tempestuous
  • What words refer to a wind that moves in a circle?
    whirlwind, tornado, twister, dust devil, funnel, waterspout
  • What words refer to a warm or cold wind?
    Chinook, sirocco
  • What words describe when the wind begins?
    pick up, rise, freshen, gather, blow up
  • What words describe when the wind stops?
    drop, die down, calm, still
  • What words describe the direction of the wind?
    north/south/east/west wind, northeaster, wind off the ocean, ocean breeze, wind from the mountains, mountain breeze, wind from the desert, updraft, downdraft, head wind, tail wind, following wind, cross breeze, windward, lee, prevailing
  • What does the wind do?
    blow, knock down (things), rip, tear off, bend, puff out, billow out (sail), push (boat), raise (waves), fan flames, push snow into drifts, ventilate a house
  • What words describe something being blown by the wind?
    be blown by the wind, wind blows something, blow away, waft on the breeze, flutter in the breeze, be carried by the wind, be born along on/by the wind, be picked up by the wind
  • What instruments are used to measure the direction or force of the wind?
    weathervane, weathercock, windsock, wind gauge
  • What sounds does the wind make?
    whisper, sigh, moan, whistle, howl, scream, shriek
  • 1.1.3.2 Cloud

    Use this domain for words related to the clouds.

    Louw Nida Codes: 
    1E Atmospheric Objects
  • What words refer to a cloud?
    cloud
  • What do clouds do?
    rain, build, rise, gather, disperse, billow, blow, blown by the wind, move across the sky, threatening, shadow, obscure, hide (the sun)
  • What words describe different kinds of clouds?
    storm clouds, rain cloud, cumulus, thunderhead, anvil shaped, billowing, nimbus, fluffy, cirrus, wispy, vapor trail, haze, hazy, fog, foggy, mist, misty, steam, vapor, band, smog, fume, cloud of smoke
  • What words describe how many clouds are in the sky?
    cloudy, cloud up, cloud cover, be clouded over, overcast, partly cloudy, scattered clouds, gray, dull, foggy
  • 1.1.3.3 Rain

    Use this domain for words related to the rain.

    Louw Nida Codes: 
    14C Rain
  • What words refer to the rain?
    rain, precipitation, rainfall
  • What does the rain do?
    rain (v), fall, pelt, splatter, drench, water (v)
  • What words describe the weather when it is raining?
    rainy, wet
  • What words refer to when the rain stops?
    stop raining
  • What words describe how hard it is raining?
    sprinkle, drizzle, light rain, shower, pour, downpour, cloudburst, rainstorm, hard/heavy/driving rain, torrential, deluge, thundershower
  • What words describe when it rains a lot?
    rainy season, monsoon, the rains
  • What is a single drop of rain?
    raindrop, drop,
  • What words refer to rain water on the ground?
    rainwater, puddle, run-off
  • What sound does the rain make?
    pitter-patter, drum, drip drip
  • What words refer to a rainbow?
    rainbow
  • What words refer to dew?
    dew, dewdrop, (ground is) damp with dew, moisture
  • What do people use to protect themselves from the rain?
    umbrella, raincoat, boot
  • 1.1.3.4 Snow, ice

    Use this domain for words related to snow, ice, sleet, and hail.

  • What words refer to different kinds of snow?
    snow (n), sleet, sleety, hail, hailstorm, snowstorm, ice storm, blizzard, snow flurry
  • What does the snow do?
    snow (v), fall, snowfall, drift, blow, cover (the ground), blanket (v), snow in
  • What words refer to a piece of snow or ice?
    snowflake, hailstone, block of ice, ice cube
  • What words refer to snow or ice on the ground?
    ice, drift, snowbank, blanket, snow cover, dusting, icicle, sheet of ice, iceberg, glacier
  • What words refer to snow on a mountain?
    glacier, snowcap, snowfield, avalanche
  • What words refer to frost (frozen dew)?
    frost
  • What do people do with snow?
    shovel, plow
  • What do people make with snow?
    snowball, snowman, igloo
  • What tools do people use with snow?
    ice axe, snow shovel, snowplow
  • What words refer to moving on snow or ice?
    ski, skate, sled, sleigh, sledge, snowshoes, skis, ice-skates, slide, slip
  • What words refer to water turning into ice?
    freeze, frozen, ice over/up
  • What words refer to snow and ice turning into water?
    melt, melt water, thaw, slush, turn to slush
  • What words refer to frozen ground?
    permafrost
  • What words describe a time when it snows?
    snowy
  • What words describe something that has snow or ice on it?
    snowy, snow covered, icy, frosty
  • 1.1.3.5 Storm

    Use this domain for words related to storms.

  • What general words refer to a storm?
    storm, be stormy, stormy weather
  • What types of storms are there?
    hurricane, typhoon, cyclone, blizzard, snowstorm, hailstorm, thunderstorm, rainstorm, cloudburst, windstorm, tornado, funnel, whirlwind
  • What words describe the intensity of a storm?
    terrible (storm), howling (blizzard), raging (storm)
  • What words refer to a storm starting?
    break
  • What words refer to a storm stopping?
    die down
  • 1.1.3.6 Lightning, thunder

    Use this domain for words related to lightning and thunder.

    Louw Nida Codes: 
    14D Thunder and Lightning
  • What words refer to lightning?
    lightning, lightning bolt, thunderbolt, lightning storm
  • What does lightning do?
    (lightning) strike, be struck by lightning, flash (of lightning), streak (of lightning), light up
  • What do people use to protect themselves from lightning?
    lightning rod
  • What words refer to thunder?
    thunder, thunderstorm, thundercloud, thunderhead
  • What words describe the sound thunder makes?
    peal (of thunder), clap, rumble, boom, crack of lightning, roll
  • 1.1.3.7 Flood

    Use this domain for words related to floods.

  • What words refer to a time when there is too much rain?
    heavy rains, experience torrential rains, el Niño
  • What words refer to when the ground is covered by water?
    flood (n), flood (v), flooding, inundate, deluge
  • What words refer to a flood ending?
    recede
  • What words refer to an area that is often flooded by a river?
    floodplain,
  • What words refer to the material left behind by a flood?
    silt,
  • 1.1.3.8 Drought

    Use this domain for words related to drought.

  • What words refer to a time when there is little or no rain?
    drought, extended drought, lack of rain, have no rain, go without rain, la Niña
  • What words describe the ground when there is no rain?
    dry, parched, cracked, dusty