A scale for measuring temperature. On the Fahrenheit scale, which is named for the German physicist who established it, pure water freezes at 32° and boils at 212°. Impurities and minerals (such as salt) in water change the temperature at which water freezes or boils. The United States is one of the few countries that still uses the Fahrenheit scale for measuring temperature. Most countries of the world have adopted the Celsius (Centigrade) scale. To convert a Celsius temperature reading to Fahrenheit, multiply the Celsius temperature by 9/5 and add 32.