Mist or Fog? The Answer Is a Distance
Mist is a thin cloud of water droplets near the ground. Meteorologists separate it from fog by visibility.
Mist is a thin cloud of tiny water droplets suspended in the air near the ground. Weather services draw a precise line between mist and fog, and it is a matter of visibility rather than feeling: if you can see a kilometre or more it is mist, and below that it is fog. The droplets are identical; only their density differs. *Mist* is Old English and shares a root with *mizzle*, a fine drizzle, and with Dutch *mist*.
- Thin suspended droplets. *Morning mist.*
- Fog — the denser form. *Thick fog.*
- To mist over. *The window misted.*
- Misty — full of mist. *A misty valley.*
- Old English — *mist*. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | mist | Mist. |
| Verb | mist | Misting. |
| Adjective | misty | Misty. |
| Related | mizzle | Mizzle. |
| Dutch | mist | Fog. |
- Mist filled the valley.Weather.
- Below a kilometre it is fog.Definition.
- Her glasses misted up.Condensation.
Kinds of low cloud
- Mist — visibility a kilometre or more
- Fog — visibility under a kilometre
- Radiation fog — forms on still, clear nights as the ground cools
- Advection fog — warm moist air drifting over a cold surface
- Haze — dust or smoke particles, not water
Old English *mist*, of Germanic origin, related to Dutch *mist*.
What is the difference between mist and fog?
Visibility. A kilometre or more is mist; less than that is fog. The droplets themselves are the same.
Is haze the same thing?
No. Haze is caused by dry particles such as dust or smoke rather than suspended water droplets.