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• air
  air

  noun

  a mixture of nitrogen, oxygen, and minute amounts of other gases that surrounds the earth and forms its atmosphere.
• Aïr
  Aïr

  noun

  a region in northern Niger, in the Sahara: low massif and oases. About 30,000 sq. mi. (77,700 sq. km).
• AIR
  AIR

  abbreviation

  All India Radio

air

¹ American  

[air] / ɛər /

noun

• air
  plural

1. a mixture of nitrogen, oxygen, and minute amounts of other gases that surrounds the earth and forms its atmosphere.

2. a stir in the atmosphere; a light breeze.

3. overhead space; sky.

   The planes filled the air.

4. circulation; publication; publicity.

   to give air to one's theories.

5. the general character or complexion of anything; appearance.

   His early work had an air of freshness and originality.

   Synonyms:

   aspect

6. the peculiar look, appearance, and bearing of a person.

   There is an air of mystery about him.

   Synonyms:

   attitude, demeanor, aura, aspect

7. airs, affected or unnatural manner; manifestation of pride or vanity; assumed haughtiness.

   He acquired airs that were insufferable to his friends.

8. Music.

   1. a tune; melody.

   2. the soprano or treble part.

   3. an aria.

   4. Also ayre an Elizabethan art song.

9. aircraft as a means of transportation: to ship goods by air.

   to arrive by air;

   to ship goods by air.

10. Informal. air conditioning or an air-conditioning system.

    The price includes tires, radio, and air.

11. Sports.

    1. (during an airborne stunt) the height between the ground and an athlete or an athlete with their equipment.

       The BMX course was designed for riders to get good air.

    2. such a jump or other airborne stunt.

       The snowboarder took first place with four clean airs.

12. Radio. the medium through which radio waves are transmitted.

13. Archaic. breath.

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verb (used with object)

• airs,
  present (3rd person singular)
• aired,
  past participle,  past
• airing
  present participle

1. to expose to the air; give access to the open air; ventilate (often followed byout ).

   We air the bedrooms every day.

2. to expose ostentatiously; bring to public notice; display.

   to air one's opinions;

   to air one's theories.

3. to broadcast or televise.

verb (used without object)

• airs,
  present (3rd person singular)
• aired,
  past participle,  past
• airing
  present participle

1. to be exposed to the open air (often followed byout ).

   Open the window and let the room air out.

2. to be broadcast or televised.

adjective

1. operating by means of air pressure or by acting upon air.

   an air drill;

   an air pump.

2. of or relating to aircraft or to aviation.

   air industry.

3. taking place in the air; aerial.

   air war.

idioms

1. on the air, in the act of broadcasting; being broadcast.

   The program will be going on the air in a few seconds.

2. into thin air, completely out of sight or reach.

   He vanished into thin air.

3. put on airs, to assume an affected or haughty manner.

   As their fortune increased, they began to put on airs.

4. walk / tread on air, to feel very happy; be elated.

5. give (someone) the air,

   1. to reject, as a lover.

      He was bitter because she gave him the air.

   2. to dismiss, as an employee.

6. take the air,

   1. to go out-of-doors; take a short walk or ride.

   2. Slang. to leave, especially hurriedly.

   3. to begin broadcasting.

7. get some air,

   1. to take a break from an unpleasant encounter or stifling environment.

      She walked away from the argument to get some air.

   2. to take a short rest.

8. clear the air, to eliminate dissension, ambiguity, or tension from a discussion, situation, etc..

   The staff meeting was intended to help clear the air.

9. get the air,

   1. to be rejected, as by a lover.

   2. to be dismissed, as by an employer.

      He had worked only a few days when he got the air.

10. in the air, in circulation; current.

    There's a rumor in the air that we're moving to a new location.

11. off the air,

    1. not broadcasting.

       The station goes off the air at midnight.

    2. not broadcast; out of operation as a broadcast.

       The program went off the air years ago.

12. up in the air,

    1. Also in the air undecided or unsettled.

       The contract is still up in the air.

    2. Informal. angry; perturbed.

       There is no need to get up in the air over a simple mistake.

air ² American  

[air] / ɛər /

adjective

1. early.

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adverb

1. Obsolete. before; previously.

Aïr ³ American  

[ah-eer] / ˈɑ ɪər /

noun

1. a region in northern Niger, in the Sahara: low massif and oases. About 30,000 sq. mi. (77,700 sq. km).

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Aïr ¹ British  

/ ˈɑːɪə /

noun

1. Also called: Azbine.   Asben.  a mountainous region of N central Niger, in the Sahara, rising to 1500 m (5000 ft): a former native kingdom. Area: about 77 700 sq km (30 000 sq miles)

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AIR ² British  

abbreviation

1. All India Radio

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air ³ British  

/ ɛə /

noun

1. the mixture of gases that forms the earth's atmosphere. At sea level dry air has a density of 1.226 kilograms per cubic metre and consists of 78.08 per cent nitrogen, 20.95 per cent oxygen, 0.93 per cent argon, 0.03 per cent carbon dioxide, with smaller quantities of ozone and inert gases; water vapour varies between 0 and 4 per cent and in industrial areas sulphur gases may be present as pollutants

2. the space above and around the earth; sky

3. breeze; slight wind

4. public expression; utterance

   to give air to one's complaints

5. a distinctive quality

   an air of mystery

6. a person's distinctive appearance, manner, or bearing

7. music

   1. a simple tune for either vocal or instrumental performance

   2. another word for aria

8. transportation in aircraft (esp in the phrase by air )

9. an archaic word for breath breath breath

10. informal the height gained when getting airborne in surfing, snowboarding, etc

11. to rid a situation of tension or discord by settling misunderstandings, etc

12. slang to reject or dismiss someone

13. 1. in circulation; current

    2. in the process of being decided; unsettled

14. leaving no trace behind

15. not in the act of broadcasting or being broadcast on radio or television

16. in the act of broadcasting or being broadcast on radio or television

17. suddenly and unexpectedly

18. to go out of doors, as for a short walk or ride

19. 1. uncertain

    2. informal agitated or excited

20. to feel elated or exhilarated

21. (modifier) astrology of or relating to a group of three signs of the zodiac, Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius Compare earth fire water

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verb

1. to expose or be exposed to the air so as to cool or freshen; ventilate

   to air a room

2. to expose or be exposed to warm or heated air so as to dry

   to air linen

3. (tr) to make known publicly; display; publicize

   to air one's opinions

4. (intr) (of a television or radio programme) to be broadcast

air Scientific  

/ âr /

1. The colorless, odorless, tasteless mixture of gases that surrounds the Earth. Air consists of about 78 percent nitrogen and 21 percent oxygen, with the remaining part made up mainly of argon, carbon dioxide, neon, helium, methane, and krypton in decreasing order of volume. Air also contains varying amounts of water vapor, particulate matter such as dust and soot, and chemical pollutants.

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air More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing air

• breath of fresh air
• castles in the air
• clear the air
• give someone the air
• hot air
• in the air
• into (out of) thin air
• nose in the air
• off the air
• put on airs
• up in the air
• walk on air
• wash (air) one's dirty linen

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Usage

What is a basic definition of air? Air is the invisible mixture of gases that makes up the Earth’s atmosphere. This is what we mean when we talk about the air that we breathe. The word air is also used to refer to the appearance of something, as in an air of mystery. Air is used as a verb meaning to expose something to air, the public, or on a broadcast. The word air has many other senses, both as a noun and a verb. Speaking scientifically, the word air refers to an invisible mixture of gases, including oxygen, nitrogen, and small amounts of many other gases. You are breathing air into your lungs right now as you read these words.

• Real-life example: We are all surrounded by air. It is what makes up Earth’s atmosphere. The word air is also used generally to refer to any of the gases that can be found floating around us. For example, a balloon filled with air is most likely full of the carbon dioxide gas released from a person’s lungs.
• Used in a sentence: Swimmers returned to the surface so she could get a breath of air. 

The terms air or the air is used generally to refer to the sky or open space outside.

• Real-life example: Airplanes and helicopters are designed to fly in the air, meaning the empty space over the ground. Birds, bats, and insects also travel through this empty space.
• Used in a sentence: The boy threw the ball into the air. 

Air is also used to describe a style or appearance that something or someone has. The plural airs is used when someone acts as though they are better than other people, often in the phrase put on airs.

• Used in a sentence: The quiet man had an air of mystery about him. 

As a verb, air is used to variously mean exposing something to air, exposing something to the public as a whole, or to broadcast something, such as on TV, radio, or a webcast.

• Real-life example: People will sometimes air a room by opening windows or air out laundry so the wind will blow smells off it. Gossip magazines and websites often air celebrity secrets or rumors. Television and radio stations air (broadcast) programs every day.
• Used in a sentence: The angry citizens aired their complaints to the nervous mayor.

Synonym Usage

See wind ¹. See manner ¹.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• airlike
  adjective
• unaired
  adjective
• well-aired
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• air
  plural

Participles

• airing
  present
• aired
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• air
  simple
• airs
  simple
• have aired
  perfect
• has aired
  perfect
• am airing
  progressive
• are airing
  progressive
• is airing
  progressive
• have been airing
  perfect progressive
• has been airing
  perfect progressive

Past

• aired
  simple
• had aired
  perfect
• was airing
  progressive
• were airing
  progressive
• had been airing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will air
  simple
• will have aired
  perfect
• will be airing
  progressive
• will have been airing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of air¹

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English eir, from Old French air, from Latin āēr- (accusative āerem ), from Greek āer- (stem of āḗr ) “the lower atmosphere”; conflated with air ¹ ( especially for defs. 4, 5 ) French air, Old French aire “nature, character,” Latin ager “field” ( cf. acre) and ārea “threshing floor, clearing, area ”; and with air ¹ ( for def. 7 ) French air, from Italian aria aria

Origin of air²

see origin at ere

Explanation

When you breathe in, you're inhaling all that invisible stuff around us called air — a mixture of gases that includes oxygen. To air something out can mean to expose it to the air in order to freshen it up, like leaving stinky sneakers out on the porch for a while to help them smell better. But to air a grievance or a secret is a whole other story — that means to publicize something that wasn't public knowledge before. Perhaps you have a cousin who takes great delight in airing all the family's secrets.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

air Aïr AIR airs aired airing

That’s 14 million times as much as can safely be in indoor air, according to the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026

“Your bank account can’t protect you if you are breathing polluted air or rely on a dysfunctional health care system.”

From Salon ● Aug. 11, 2026

It gives us a shiny number that has the air of “science” and promises that if you improve this, something good will happen.

From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026

It follows an Air Force statement on Monday urging the media not to write "sensationalised headlines" or "spread pessimism" about the shortage of air defence interceptors.

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026

The air is cool, crisper than normal, but the ground isn’t wet, and her backyard is . . . not her backyard.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Fifty miles on, past the black volcanic boulders of the Aïr mountains, he and six other smugglers gathered and waited for their cargo to arrive.

From The New Yorker ● Apr. 3, 2017

Its oldest walls were built some eight hundred years ago, and by 1449 it had become the center of a Tuareg kingdom ruled by the Sultan of Aïr, named for the local mountains.

From The New Yorker ● Apr. 3, 2017

Look, here be I, so stiff's a log, Thik fellor Aïr do keep me back Vrom grindèn.

From Poems of Rural Life in the Dorset Dialect by Barnes, William

During the winter of 2025, Acres of Ice and the local government ran 10 AIR projects across Ladakh.

From BBC ● Jun. 18, 2026

Air New Zealand AIR 3.19%increase; green up pointing triangle suspended its guidance for the second half of 2026, citing volatility in jet fuel markets stemming from the war in Iran.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 9, 2026

Airbus AIR 0.15%increase; green up pointing triangle said Monday that the majority of fixes required on A320 aircraft to protect against potential data issues from solar radiation have now been completed.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 1, 2025

"The appointment of Pat shows one thing: the criticality of the situation at Spirit right now," said Michel Merluzeau, director of aerospace analysis at AIR consultancy group.

From Reuters ● Oct. 23, 2023

The usual pronunciation is UR, but the upstart AIR, long considered a mistake, is now acceptable too.

From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner

When she isn’t filming the daily soap opera, which airs on Peacock, Hall enjoys raising monarch butterflies, exploring the shops and restaurants on Montana, and hosting movie nights at home with her two sons.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026

At a Milan pizzeria that normally airs matches, the screens were showing a news segment about a gathering of Vespa riders.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 4, 2026

“General Hospital,” which airs weekdays on ABC and streams on Hulu, is in its 64th year and stands as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2026

Endemol Shine Australia is behind the show, which airs in Australia on Channel 9.

From BBC ● Jun. 13, 2026

The air was softer than it had been on the other side of the Great Divide and I seemed to remember reading that the warm airs from over the Japanese current penetrate deep inland.

From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck

The station aired three pre-recorded announcements falsely stating the King had died during the Barry Marsh Show on 19 May.

From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026

News outlets aired images of buildings also destroyed in cities such as Manizales.

From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026

Though the story eventually leaked in Canada and later aired on CBS in its original form, the message Weiss sent to the newsroom was unmistakable.

From Salon ● Aug. 8, 2026

While the show aired, Carlos Palazuelos, a 36-year-old DoorDash delivery driver, was taken into custody by sheriff’s deputies about an hour south of Tucson.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026

Here he is in a court of law with the evidence displayed and the testimony given, the facts all aired and the arguments made and the truth of the matter manifest.

From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson

Radio Caroline, a former pirate radio that now mostly plays rock music, apologised in May after airing messages falsely announcing the monarch's death.

From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026

Texans have mobilized across the state to oppose the new developments, airing concerns that the facilities will drain local water supplies, drive up electric bills and cause noise, light and air pollution.

From Salon ● Aug. 10, 2026

I explore this in a special three-part audio series, “AI and the Blurring of Reality,” airing Saturdays on WSJ’s Tech News Briefing.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026

One ad cited by Novo in its lawsuit is called “Watch This: Head-to-Head,” which began airing in February, according to iSpot.tv.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 21, 2026

I catch a glimpse of myself on the television screen on the wall that's airing my arrival live and feel gratified that I appear almost bored.

From "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins

Related Words

• broadcast
• circulate
• communicate
• declare
• disclose
• display
• publicize
• publish
• put
• reveal
• speak
• tell