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 conditioner
  noun
• air-conditioning
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of air conditioning

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

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

To protect worshippers from the extreme heat, authorities rely on one of the most powerful air conditioning systems in the world to cool the Grand Mosque's courtyards, according to Saudi state television.

From Barron's • May 25, 2026

Embassy, which had been closed since 2019, workers have been scrubbing mold, rolling out fresh wall-to-wall carpeting and installing new air conditioning units.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 24, 2026

Sandra Evans, who manages Bryn Seiont Newydd nursing home in Caernarfon, said they were "very fortunate" to have air conditioning in communal areas.

From BBC • May 20, 2026

“I’m going to spend the day with my dad. Neither of us slept too well last night. Our air conditioning is broken.”

From "A Mango-Shaped Space" by Wendy Mass