air conditioning

American  

[air kuhn-dish-uh-ning] / ˈɛər kənˈdɪʃ ə nɪŋ /

noun

1. a system or process for controlling the temperature, humidity, and sometimes the purity of the air in an interior, as of an office, theater, laboratory, or house, especially one capable of cooling.

2. an air-conditioning system or unit.

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air conditioning British  

noun

1. a system or process for controlling the temperature and sometimes the humidity and purity of the air in a house, etc

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• air-conditioning
  adjective
• air conditioner
  noun

Etymology

Origin of air conditioning

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

HCFCs and HFCs have been widely used in refrigeration and air conditioning systems.

From Science Daily • Jun. 9, 2026

Low-income families and seniors on fixed incomes already struggle to afford their bills and air conditioning is a must, she said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026

And finally, they’ll examine why the UK and Europe are still so resistant to air conditioning despite being plagued by deadly heatwaves.

From Slate • May 30, 2026

"I've worked in other homes where there's no air conditioning unit and residents would become agitated and more distressed," she explained, adding there were restrictions on how far they could open windows.

From BBC • May 20, 2026

A Ford Mustang this was, maroon, with cream-colored bucket seats and air conditioning.

From "Typical American" by Gish Jen