air pump

American  

noun

1. an apparatus for drawing in, compressing, or exhausting air.

2. Astronomy. Air Pump, the constellation Antlia.

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air pump British  

noun

1. a device for pumping air in or out of something

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Etymology

Origin of air pump

First recorded in 1650–60

Example Sentences

The philosopher catches our eye and gestures toward us with the right hand that rests on the air pump.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 14, 2026

What looked like clothing, an air pump and several makeshift, inflatable lifebuoys were among the items that covered the boat's floor.

From Reuters • Oct. 1, 2023

He carries a backpack with an air pump, tire patch and extra air tube for his bicycle and the weight of what could go wrong.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 22, 2023

First, she didn’t have an air pump, so she had to inflate the pool through sheer lung power, an hour-long task that called upon her training as a middle school flautist.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 30, 2020

It was Schott’s book that inspired Robert Boyle to construct his own air pump in England, and it is perhaps not a coincidence that vacuum experiments were recommenced in Florence in 1657.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton