How to stay cool when temperatures soar to 32 degrees The Concept of 32 Degrees Definition and Origins 1. The term “32 degree” refers to water’s freezing point, which is 0 degrees Celsius (or 32 degrees Fahrenheit). 2. The concept of measuring temperature using a scale that includes 32 degrees has its origins in the Fahrenheit temperature scale developed by Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit in the early 18th century. 3. Fahrenheit chose 32 as the freezing point of water and 212 as the boiling point of water at standard atmospheric pressure, with the difference between the two points divided into 180