pneumatic
adjective
noun
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Origin of pneumatic
OTHER WORDS FROM pneumatic
Words nearby pneumatic
VOCAB BUILDER
What does pneumatic mean?
Pneumatic means filled with or operated by compressed air.
In general, pneumatic means related to air or wind, and pneumatics is the branch of physics that deals with the properties of air. But the adjective pneumatic is most commonly applied to machines that work by using compressed air or a vacuum, like pneumatic brakes or a pneumatic drill (also called a jackhammer).
Example: The bank uses a pneumatic tube so you can deposit your checks without going in.
Where does pneumatic come from?
The first records of pneumatic come from the 1600s. It comes from the Latin pneumaticus, which is from the Greek pneumatikós, meaning “air,” “breath,” or “spirit.” The root pneum- and similar roots are used in words related to wind or the lungs, such as pneumonia.
Machines that are powered by air are sometimes labeled air-powered, but devices called pneumatic usually work with compressed air. Such machines typically work by transmission force through air pressure in pipes or tubes. For example, pneumatic tubes were once popular for transporting document-filled containers throughout a building. In this system, things like mail, checks, and other small objects could be sent quickly from one part of an office building to another by placing the item in a container and then placing the container inside the tube, where it would be whisked away by the power of air. Car tires and bicycle tires are sometimes called pneumatic tires because they’re filled with compressed air.
Machines and systems that operate through the pressure created by water or another liquid are called hydraulic. A machine that uses a combination of pneumatic and hydraulic power is called pneudraulic.
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What are some other forms related to pneumatic?
- pneumatically (adverb)
- pneumaticity (noun)
- nonpneumatic (adjective)
- nonpneumatically (adverb)
What are some synonyms for pneumatic?
- air-powered
What are some words that share a root or word element with pneumatic?
What are some words that often get used in discussing pneumatic?
How is pneumatic used in real life?
Pneumatic is almost always used in a mechanical sense, the same as one would discuss hydraulics or pulley systems. The spiritual use will be used in deeply thought out theological discussion.
Back in London! Trying to imagine the traffic noises are ocean waves and the pneumatic drill is a particularly energetic seagull
— Phil Lester (@AmazingPhil) June 24, 2015
Ok BUT HOW COOL ARE THE LITTLE SUCKY-UPPY THINGS AT BANKS? PNEUMATIC TUBES?? Science can be so freakin neat.
— Thomas Sanders (@ThomasSanders) December 13, 2017
Is there any reason pneumatic tires can’t be used for space exploration? or are they just not used for weight reasons? after all the shuttle had pneumatic tires in a vacuum, they just weren’t used there
— Andrew Cassidy (@AndrewNCassidy) September 24, 2019
Try using pneumatic!
Is pneumatic used correctly in the following sentence?
I can barely hear myself think over the sound of the pneumatic drill.