Thermometer 🌡️

A classic medical thermometer rendered in bright red or silver, typically shown as a thin cylindrical tube with a bulbous mercury reservoir at the base and temperature markings up the shaft. The design is instantly recognizable from childhood doctor visits and household weather stations.

Beyond literal temperature checking, people use this to express fever, sickness, or feeling physically unwell—it's a go-to when calling out sick from work or school. More creatively, it signals something is "heating up" in a figurative sense: a heated argument, rising tension, or growing excitement. Some use it to indicate hot weather or ask "how hot is it today?"

On social media and in messaging, the thermometer often pairs with complaints about being ill, or ironically to represent the emotional temperature of a situation. It can convey both physical discomfort and metaphorical heat, making it surprisingly versatile for a medical device.

The designs are fairly consistent across platforms, though Google's version skews more clinical while Apple's feels slightly friendlier. Approved as Unicode Emoji 0.7 in 2010, this practical little icon remains a staple for health check-ins and weather talk alike.