pressurization
AmericanOther Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of pressurization
First recorded in 1935–40; pressurize + -ation
Explanation
If you travel by air, pressurization inside the airplane lets you breathe normally at high altitudes, where the air is thin. Pressurization keeps the density of oxygen and other gases in the cabin's air similar to conditions on the ground. Human bodies function best on Earth, where the atmosphere has the right amount of air pressure and oxygen for people to breathe. Pressurization of an airplane's cabin involves pumping in and circulating conditioned air to keep it safe and comfortable even at 40,000 feet above the ground — and even in outer space! People are able to live and work aboard spacecraft and space stations thanks to pressurization systems that allow astronauts to breathe even where there is almost no air outside.
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 first attempt on Tuesday also failed because the automatic safety system registered a flaw in the oxidizer tank pressurization system, said Roscosmos head Yuri Borisov.
From Seattle Times • Apr. 10, 2024
Mann disagreed, saying if the plug is attached properly, it should transfer the stress of pressurization adequately to the fuselage.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 10, 2024
Lai, Alaska’s managing director of engineering, said via email that “these types of aircraft pressurization system write ups are typical in large aircraft commercial aviation operations.”
From Seattle Times • Jan. 6, 2024
Another Delta flight from Memphis, Tenn., to Salt Lake City made an emergency landing in Wichita, Kan., after crew reported a possible pressurization issue that required operating the aircraft at a lower altitude.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 30, 2023
The vehicle’s oxygen and pressurization systems stood between the astronaut and the life-crushing vacuum of space.
From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly
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.
