n.
Pronunciation: ' er
Function: noun
Usage: often attrib
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin aer, from Greek a ē r
Date: 14th century
1 a archaic : BREATH b : the mixture of invisible odorless tasteless gases (as nitrogen and oxygen) that surrounds the earth c : a light breeze
2 a : empty space b : NOTHINGNESS <vanished into thin air > c : a sudden severance of relations <she gave me the air >
3 [probably translation of Italian aria ] a : TUNE , MELODY b Elizabethan & Jacobean music : an accompanied song or melody in usually strophic form c : the chief voice part or melody in choral music
4 a : outward appearance of a thing <an air of luxury> b : a surrounding or pervading influence : ATMOSPHERE <an air of mystery> c : the look, appearance, or bearing of a person especially as expressive of some personal quality or emotion : DEMEANOR <an air of dignity> d : an artificial or affected manner <put on air s >
5 : public utterance <he gave air to his opinion>
6 : COMPRESSED AIR
7 a (1) : AIRCRAFT <go by air > (2) : AVIATION < air safety> < air rights> (3) : AIR FORCE < air headquarters> b (1) : the medium of transmission of radio waves also : RADIO , TELEVISION <went on the air > (2) : AIRTIME
8 : a football offense utilizing primarily the forward pass <trailing by 20 points, the team took to the air >
9 : an air-conditioning system
10 : the height achieved in performing an aerial maneuver <a snowboarder catching big air > also : the maneuver itself
synonyms see POSE
– air · less \ -l ə s \ adjective
– air · less · ness noun
– in the air : in wide circulation : ABOUT
– up in the air : not yet settled