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

Their analysis points to HFO-1234yf, a refrigerant commonly used in vehicle air conditioning systems, as an increasingly important contributor.

From Science Daily • Jun. 9, 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

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

I don’t realize how hot it was outside until I step into Virgil’s house and feel the cool buzz of the air conditioning.

From "Hello, Universe" by Erin Entrada Kelly