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Synonyms

air pump

American  

noun

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

  2. Astronomy. Air Pump, the constellation Antlia.

air pump British  

noun

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of air pump

First recorded in 1650–60

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.

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

Doctors put him on an air pump to help his breathing within two days of his hospitalization.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 21, 2020

This demonstrated the force of air pressure acting on the hemispheres and inspired Boyle’s construction of an air pump.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

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.