open air

¹ American  

noun

1. the outdoors.

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open-air ² American  

[oh-puhn-air] / ˈoʊ pənˈɛər /

adjective

1. existing in, taking place in, or characteristic of the open air; outdoor.

   The orchestra gave three open-air concerts last summer.

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open air British  

noun

1. 1. the place or space where the air is unenclosed; the outdoors

   2. ( as modifier )

      an open-air concert

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Other Word Forms

• open-airish adjective
• open-airishness noun
• open-airness noun

Etymology

Origin of open air¹

First recorded in 1520–30

Origin of open-air²

First recorded in 1820–30

Example Sentences

Anna, meanwhile, devotes herself to earth art, turning machine-lasered iron cutouts laid on white sheets in the open air into large-scale, rust-patterned pieces.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 6, 2026

A quarter—12 of 49—were confirmed to be autos with open air bag recalls.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 8, 2025

The team identified two distinct kinds of amber: one formed underground near the roots of resin-producing plants, and another that developed in the open air.

From Science Daily • Oct. 11, 2025

Being in the open air also allowed an anti-Tory activist to disrupt the announcement by blasting music from a nearby speaker.

From BBC • Dec. 25, 2024

Did he go to school in the open air in Hiroshima?

From "A Place to Belong" by Cynthia Kadohata