airy
adjective
open to a free current of fresh air; breezy.
airy
American
[air-ee]
/ ˈɛər i /
adjective
airier,
comparative
airiest
superlative
-
open to a free current of fresh air; breezy.
airy rooms.
-
consisting of or having the character of air; immaterial.
airy phantoms.
-
light in appearance; thin.
airy garments.
-
light in manner; sprightly; lively.
airy songs.
-
light in movement; graceful; delicate.
an airy step.
-
light as air; unsubstantial; unreal; imaginary.
airy dreams.
-
visionary; speculative.
-
performed in the air; aerial.
-
lofty; high in the air.
-
putting on airs; affected; snobbish.
an airy debutante posing for society photographers.
airy
1
British
/ ˈɛərɪ /
adjective
-
abounding in fresh air
-
spacious or uncluttered
-
nonchalant; superficial
-
visionary; fanciful
airy promises
airy plans
-
of or relating to air
-
weightless and insubstantial
an airy gossamer
-
light and graceful in movement
-
having no material substance
airy spirits
-
high up in the air; lofty
-
performed in the air; aerial
Airy
2
British
/ ˈɛərɪ /
noun
Other Word Forms
Adjective Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of airy
Explanation
An airy place is full of fresh air. Other airy things are either light like air or without substance like air. Air surrounds us, and it has a lot of meanings. If a place is described as airy, that means it's full of fresh air. An open stadium is airy, while a stuffy apartment is not. If a house has lots of open windows, it's airy. Also, an argument that has no substance can be called airy, because there's nothing to it. Light things are airy too: a flimsy, light dress or a low-fat dessert could both be called airy.
Vocabulary lists containing airy
With the Fire on High
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"The Tempest," Vocabulary from a soliloquy
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Those Kids from Fawn Creek
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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.
"It's all a bit airy fairy," he added.
From BBC • Jul. 3, 2026
The central argument of “Democracy Matters,” situated in a single, capacious, airy gallery, is largely unassailable: that our democracy has always been aspirational—a work in progress too often undercut by U.S. laws and practices.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 2, 2026
Chef Ann Ahmed’s Lao restaurant is bright and airy, filled with greenery and anchored by a sprawling patio that feels like a natural extension of the dining room.
From Salon • Jun. 11, 2026
There’s also a skylight, which makes the entryway feel bright and airy.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 9, 2026
It was clean and airy, but startlingly basic, and presumably would be like an army barracks at night when it was full of hikers and their equipment.
From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson
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.
