aerate
Americanverb (used with object)
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to expose to the action or effect of air or to cause air to circulate through.
to aerate milk in order to remove odors.
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to change or treat with air or a gas, especially with carbon dioxide.
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Physiology. to expose (a medium or tissue) to air as in the oxygenation of the blood in respiration.
verb
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to charge (a liquid) with a gas, esp carbon dioxide, as in the manufacture of effervescent drink
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to expose to the action or circulation of the air, so as to purify
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To add a gas, such as carbon dioxide, to a liquid.
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To supply with oxygen. Blood is aerated in the alveoli of the lungs.
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To supply with air or expose to the circulation of air.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of aerate
Explanation
To aerate something is to put air into it. When a pastry chef whips cream, she aerates it, filling it with air until it's light and fluffy. Gardeners sometimes aerate soil with special spikes, allowing air to penetrate the surface and helping lawns or plants get more oxygen. If you aerate water or juice, you carbonate it, resulting in a fizzy soda. Cooking, baking, aquarium maintenance, and chemistry are just some of the activities that occasionally require someone to aerate some material. In Latin, aer means "air."
Vocabulary lists containing aerate
Dirty Words: The Language of Gardening
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A Culinary Vocabulary Sampler
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Elements of the Universe: Aer, Aero ("Air")
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Equipment installed at various points along contaminated creeks to aerate the water ended up releasing chemicals into the air.
From Salon • Oct. 5, 2024
The obvious utility of iron for fashioning tougher and more durable tools used to clear forests, aerate land, and dig trench- based irrigation systems led others to adopt the new material.
From Textbooks • Apr. 19, 2023
In a medium bowl, thoroughly whisk together the sugar, flour, baking powder and salt to combine and aerate; set aside.
From Washington Post • Dec. 17, 2022
Swinomish community members will return to the site regularly to dig into and aerate the sediment and remove plants that could deplete oxygen in the garden.
From Seattle Times • Nov. 28, 2022
In general the effect of all this habitation of the soil is to aerate it and improve both its drainage and the penetration of water throughout the layers of plant growth.
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
