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

• air conditioner
  noun
• air-conditioning
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of air conditioning

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

air conditioning

The air conditioning units had undergone maintenance, but the report says this is not the same as a safety check.

From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2026

Much of Laos's distribution grid dates back to the 1970s, and now struggles to keep pace with an increasingly modern economy of tourism, massive infrastructure, urban development and air conditioning.

From Barron's ● Sep. 13, 2026

“The other problem here, too, is that the very highest heat-index values I’m seeing are in Central and South Central L.A.,” where a number of people don’t have air conditioning at home, Swain said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026

This includes explaining the rising cost of doing business to his customers, avoiding refueling in California where possible and using alternative fuels to power air conditioning in trucks overnight.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026

My dad looks at my shoulders and sees I have goose bumps from the air conditioning.

From "Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish" by Pablo Cartaya