airbag

Or air bag

[air-bag]

noun

1. a bag mounted in the interior of a motor vehicle, cushioning the seat occupant by inflating automatically in the event of collision.

2. a very large inflatable safety or cushioning device, as to protect a spacecraft during a landing.

Word History and Origins

Origin of airbag¹

First recorded in 1965–70; air ¹ ( def. ) + bag ( def. )

Example Sentences

The team used a specialist retrieval system to access the airbag control module – where a snapshot of electronic data, triggered by the crash, revealed speeds, accelerator position, steering wheel angle and brake pedal application.

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Crucially, officers knew there was a good chance that whoever was at the wheel at the time of the crash might have come into contact with the driver's side airbag as it activated.

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Sgt Raine said: "That's really significant. It's very unlikely that any other person would have touched that airbag at the point of the collision."

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DNA traces were discovered on the airbag – and became the conclusive proof that Challis was at the wheel at the time of the crash.

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Last week PC Cowan told the court he was in a police car with a colleague when a Volkswagen driven by Kastrati crashed into the side of the vehicle and activated the airbag.

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