air pocket

noun

1. (not in technical use) a nearly vertical air current that can cause an aircraft to experience a sudden change in altitude, usually a decrease.

air pocket

noun

1. a localized region of low air density or a descending air current, causing an aircraft to suffer an abrupt decrease in height

2. any pocket of air that prevents the flow of a liquid or gas, as in a pipe

Word History and Origins

Origin of air pocket¹

First recorded in 1910–15