For many of you, the word "fetch" may remind you of a popular movie. But for meteorologists, we use the term a little differently.

What You Need To Know

  • Many people may have heard the word fetch

  • People often associate the word with Mean Girls

  • There is a scientific definition for the mainstream word

Popularized by Mean Girls

I'd say many people have probably seen the iconic movie Mean Girls. And oftentimes when I watch it with my friends, we say Gretchen Wiener's famous quote in unison: "that is so fetch."

In the context of the movie, Gretchen uses the word to describe something she thinks is cool. 

Although the characters in the movie didn't want it to catch on, it is definitely a well-known phrase in the world we live in.

How Meteorologists Interpret the Word

Here's the thing... whenever someone uses the term "fetch," I never hesitate to tell them that there is actually a meteorological definition.

Sitting in my atmospheric science class in college, my professor defined the term as the distance wind travels over open water.

And although my association of the word includes hours of calculus and physics equations to measure it, I hope this blog acts as a fun new way that you can use the term "fetch."