air cushion

American  

[air koosh-uhn] / ˈɛər ˌkʊʃ ən /

noun

1. an inflatable, airtight cushion.

2. air chamber.

3. airbag.

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air cushion British  

noun

1. an inflatable cushion, usually made of rubber or plastic

2. the pocket of air that supports a hovercraft

3. a form of pneumatic suspension consisting of a constricted volume of air See also air spring

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Other Word Forms

• air-cushioned adjective

Etymology

Origin of air cushion

First recorded in 1830–40

Example Sentences

Then they determine whether the empty space is necessary for protecting the product — like the air cushion at the top of a half-full bag of potato chips, for instance — or serving other functions.

From Washington Post • Feb. 10, 2023

Firefighters prepared an air cushion, but the comedian and television personality star had other plans.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 10, 2015

Ultimately, the Hyperloop could cost less than the very real world high speed rail proposal because it exists in a vacuum, a protective air cushion created by any engineering proposal that only exists on paper.

From Scientific American • Aug. 14, 2013

The capsules ride an air cushion blasted from "skis" beneath, propelled via a magnetic linear accelerator.

From Reuters • Aug. 13, 2013

“The firefighters have an air cushion down below. We lowered Kaitlin down and Cas—” Rashid stopped twenty feet away and lifted his eyes to meet hers.

From "Time Bomb" by Joelle Charbonneau