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air
- Main Entry:
- 1air
- Pronunciation:
-
\ˈer\
- Function:
- noun
- Usage:
- often attributive
- Etymology:
- Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin aer, from Greek aēr
- Date:
- 14th century
1 aarchaic : breath b: the mixture of invisible odorless tasteless gases (as nitrogen and oxygen) that surrounds the earth c: a light breeze2 a: empty space b: nothingness <vanished into thin air> c: a sudden severance of relations <she gave me the air>3[probably translation of Italian aria] a: tune, melody bElizabethan & Jacobean music : an accompanied song or melody in usually strophic form c: the chief voice part or melody in choral music4 a: outward appearance of a thing <an air of luxury> b: a surrounding or pervading influence : atmosphere <an air of mystery> c: the look, appearance, or bearing of a person especially as expressive of some personal quality or emotion : demeanor <an air of dignity> d: an artificial or affected manner <put on airs>5: public utterance <he gave air to his opinion>6: compressed air7 a (1): aircraft <go by air> (2): aviation <air safety> <air rights> (3): air force <air headquarters> b (1): the medium of transmission of radio waves; also : radio, television <went on the air> (2): airtime8: a football offense utilizing primarily the forward pass <trailing by 20 points, the team took to the air>9: an air-conditioning system10: the height achieved in performing an aerial maneuver <a snowboarder catching big air>; also : the maneuver itself
— air·less \-ləs\ adjective — air·less·ness noun
— in the air : in wide circulation : about — up in the air : not yet settled
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