Saturday 18 February 7-by-many DIABETIC/ABDICATE/ABDICATED puzzle

[ridethetalk]

DIABATIC - occurring with an exchange of heat (opposed to adiabatic - occurring without an exchange of heat [which is allowed]) https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/diabatic
 
CATABATIC - a type of wind caused by a drop off of a plateau (also written as katabatic - often found in Antarctica near Mawson Station – a friend wintered there a couple of times) Adjective form of https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/catabasis

[Alan W]

As you say, we already accept adiabatic. Oddly enough we also allow nonadiabatic, defined by Merriam-Webster as "not occurring without loss or gain of heat". Exactly how this is different in meaning from diabatic I couldn't tell you. But all three words do exist and are listed in dictionaries and are in use, albeit in fairly technical publications.

I'll add diabatic as a rare word.

[Alan W]

The spelling katabatic - sticking closer to the Greek source word - seems to be used more often than catabatic. However catabatic is noted in some dictionaries, and is used occasionally. An example is from a 2015 article in Men's Journal about a base jumper:

Plus, evening often brings so-called catabatic winds — cold mountain air falling down the cliff face like water, drawing a wingsuit unpredictably downwards.

We already allow the noun, catabasis. I'll add catabatic as a rare word.

[ridethetalk]

Thanks and thanks Alan - your description of nonadiabatic made me chuckle audibly - lol... Isn't the English language weird?