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English
A hot air balloon partially inflated with air.
The composition of air.
Alternative forms
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
From Middle English aire , from Old French air , from Latin āēr , from Ancient Greek ἀήρ ( aḗr ) . Displaced native Old English lyft . More at lift , loft .
Noun
air (countable and uncountable , plural airs )
( uncountable , meteorology ) The substance constituting Earth 's atmosphere , particularly :
I'm going outside to get some air .
The air on Mars is so thin that high and low temperatures on the day differ a lot.
( historical , philosophy , alchemy ) understood as one of the four elements of the ancient Greeks and Romans .
Synonym: wind
( historical , medicine ) understood as a particular local substance with supposed effects on human health .
1991 May 12, “Kidnapped! ”, in Jeeves and Wooster , Series 2, Episode 5:Jeeves: Foreign travel often liberates emotions best kept in check, sir. The air of North America is notoriously stimulating in this regard, as witness the regrettable behavior of its inhabitants in 1776.B. Wooster: Hm? What happened in 1776, Jeeves?Jeeves: I prefer not to dwell on it, if it's convenient to you, sir.
There was a tension in the air which made me suspect an approaching storm.
( physics ) understood as a gaseous mixture of nitrogen , oxygen , and various trace gases .
( usually with the ) The apparently open space above the ground which this substance fills , ( historical ) formerly thought to be limited by the firmament but ( meteorology ) now considered to be surrounded by the near vacuum of outer space .
The flock of birds took to the air .
A breeze ; a gentle wind .
A feeling or sense .
1900 , Charles W[addell] Chesnutt , chapter I, in The House Behind the Cedars , Boston, Mass., New York, N.Y.: Houghton, Mifflin and Company , →OCLC :The girl stooped to pluck a rose, and as she bent over it, her profile was clearly outlined. She held the flower to her face with a long-drawn inhalation, then went up the steps, crossed the piazza, opened the door without knocking, and entered the house with the air of one thoroughly at home.
1951 October, H. A. Vallance, “Across Denmark by Lyntog”, in Railway Magazine , page 658 :Even at the busiest periods, an air of quiet orderliness pervades the hall, and the first impression gained by the traveller is one of efficiency, neatness and cleanliness.
November 2 2014 , Daniel Taylor, "Sergio Agüero strike wins derby for Manchester City against 10-man United ," guardian.co.uk
Smalling’s quick one-two of yellow cards towards the end of the first half had left an air of inevitability about what would follow and, if anything, it was probably a surprise that City restricted themselves to Sergio Agüero’s goal bearing in mind another of United’s defenders, Marcos Rojo, was taken off on a stretcher early in the second half with a dislocated shoulder.
A sense of poise , graciousness , or quality .
1815 December (indicated as 1816 ), [Jane Austen ], chapter 4, in Emma: , volume I, London: for John Murray , →OCLC :"He is very plain, undoubtedly—remarkably plain:—but that is nothing compared with his entire want of gentility. I had no right to expect much, and I did not expect much; but I had no idea that he could be so very clownish, so totally without air . I had imagined him, I confess, a degree or two nearer gentility."
( usually in the plural ) Pretension ; snobbishness ; pretence that one is better than others.
putting on airs
1922 , Ben Travers , chapter 1, in A Cuckoo in the Nest :He read the letter aloud. Sophia listened with the studied air of one for whom, even in these days, a title possessed some surreptitious allurement.
( music ) A song, especially a solo; an aria .
1813 January 27, [Jane Austen ], Pride and Prejudice: , volumes (please specify |volume=I to III) , London: for T Egerton , , →OCLC :"If I," said Mr. Collins, "were so fortunate as to be able to sing, I should have great pleasure, I am sure, in obliging the company with an air ; for I consider music as a very innocent diversion, and perfectly compatible with the profession of a clergyman [ …] "
1850 , T. S. Arthur , “Deacon Smith and his Violin”, in Sketches of Life and Character , Philadelphia: J. W. Bradley, →OCLC , page 70 :The lad, his son, had obtained a Jew's-harp, and learned to play upon it the profane airs of "Yankee Doodle," "Hail Columbia," "St. Patrick's Day," and "Auld Lang Syne."
( informal ) Nothing ; absence of anything.
( countable , uncountable ) An air conditioner or the processed air it produces.
Could you turn on the air ?
Hey, did you mean to leave the airs on all week while you were on vacation?
( obsolete , chemistry ) Any specific gas .
( snowboarding , skateboarding , motor sports) A jump in which one becomes airborne.
A television or radio signal; ( by extension ) media broadcasts in general.
1996 , Thomas Streeter, Selling the Air , →ISBN :Ernst gave a list of political activists who had been denied access to the air by private broadcasters, and pointed out that "Secretary Hoover's signature in New York sells for $150,000 to $200,000," thus limiting access to the air on the part of labor unions and other underrepresented groups.
2001 , Dana Stabenow, The Singing of the Dead , →ISBN , page 17 :Coming to you live once a month, or whenever I feel like broadcasting a little pirate air .
2015 , Gary Andres, Paul Hernnson, Lobbying Reconsidered: Politics Under the Influence , page 149 :“These members need air cover in the media.” Paid media is the admission ticket to enter the big-time Washington stage.
( uncountable ) Publicity .
Synonyms
Derived terms
Pages starting with “air” .
Related terms
Descendants
Translations
Verb
air (third-person singular simple present airs , present participle airing , simple past and past participle aired )
( transitive ) To bring (something) into contact with the air, so as to freshen or dry it.
( transitive ) To let fresh air into (a room or a building), to ventilate .
It's getting quite stuffy in this room: let's open the windows and air it.
( transitive ) To give voice to, to make public (an opinion etc.).
2010 February 11, Rosie Swash, “John Mayer apologises after using N-word in Playboy interview”, in The Guardian :John Mayer has apologised for using a racist epithet in a recent interview with Playboy magazine, after a number of prominent black musicians aired their disapproval.
( Can we verify (+ ) this sense?) To discuss varying viewpoints on a given topic.
1917 , National Geographic , v.31, March 1917 :Thus, in spite of all opposition, the rural and urban assemblies retained the germ of local government, and in spite of the dual control, as the result of which much of their influence was nullified, they did have a certain value in airing abuses and suggesting improvements.
( transitive ) To broadcast (a television show etc.).
( intransitive ) To be broadcast .
This game show first aired in the 1990s and is still going today.
( transitive , British , MLE , slang ) To ignore (a person).
Why is this girl airing me?
Derived terms
Translations
to discuss varying viewpoints
Etymology 2
Verb
air
Pronunciation spelling of are .
Anagrams
Cornish
Alternative forms
Etymology
From Old Cornish aer , aƿui(r) , borrowed from Latin aer .
Pronunciation
Noun
air m
air
Dutch
Etymology
Borrowed from French air , from Middle French air , from Old French air , from Latin āēr .
Pronunciation
Noun
air m (plural airs , diminutive airtje n )
air , pretension or pretentious attitude
tune , melody
Descendants
French
Etymology
Inherited from Old French air , aire , from Latin āēr .
Pronunciation
IPA (key ) : /ɛʁ/
Homophones : aire , airent , aires , airs , ère , ères , erre , errent , erres , ers ( general ) , haire , haires , hère , hères , r ( aspirated )
Noun
air m (plural airs )
air ( gases of the atmosphere )
trou d’air ― air pocket
résistance de l’air ― air resistance
tune , aria
appearance
avoir l’air ― to appear, to look, to seem
air de famille ― family resemblance
air ( pretension )
prendre des airs ― to put on airs
se donner des airs ― give oneself airs
Derived terms
Further reading
Anagrams
Gothic
Romanization
air
Romanization of 𐌰𐌹𐍂
Indonesian
air
Etymology
From Malay air , from Classical Malay اير ( air ) , from Proto-Malayic *air , from Proto-Malayo-Chamic *air , from Proto-Malayo-Sumbawan *wair , from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ .
Pronunciation
IPA (key ) : /ˈʔä.(j)ir/
Hyphenation: a‧ir
Noun
air (first-person possessive airku , second-person possessive airmu , third-person possessive airnya )
water
clear liquid H₂O
mineral water
one of the four elements in alchemy
one of the five basic elements in some other theories
( colloquial ) a cockfight round which started by spraying water to the cock.
Derived terms
Related terms
Further reading
Irish
Etymology 1
From Old Irish airid ( “ ploughs, tills ” ) .
Pronunciation
Verb
air (present analytic aireann , future analytic airfidh , verbal noun ar , past participle airthe )
( literary , transitive , intransitive ) plough
Conjugation
singular
plural
relative
autonomous
first
second
third
first
second
third
indicative
present
airim
aireann tú; airir †
aireann sé, sí
airimid
aireann sibh
aireann siad; airid †
a aireann ; a aireas / a n-aireann *; a n-aireas *
airtear
past
d'air mé; d'aireas /air mé‡; aireas ‡
d'air tú; d'airis /air tú; airis ‡
d'air sé, sí /air sé, sí‡
d'aireamar ; d'air muid /aireamar ; air muid‡
d'air sibh; d'aireabhair /air sibh; aireabhair ‡
d'air siad; d'aireadar /air siad; aireadar ‡
a d'air / ar air *
aireadh ;haireadh †
past habitual
d'airinn /airinn ‡; n-airinn ‡‡
d'airteá /airteá ‡; n-airteá ‡‡
d'aireadh sé, sí /aireadh sé, sí‡; n-aireadh sé, s퇇
d'airimis ; d'aireadh muid /airimis ; aireadh muid‡; n-airimis ‡‡; n-aireadh muid‡‡
d'aireadh sibh /aireadh sibh‡; n-aireadh sibh‡‡
d'airidís ; d'aireadh siad /airidís ; aireadh siad‡; n-airidís ‡‡; n-aireadh siad‡‡
a d'aireadh / a n-aireadh *
d'airtí /airtí ‡; n-airtí ‡‡
future
airfidh mé; airfead
airfidh tú; airfir †
airfidh sé, sí
airfimid ; airfidh muid
airfidh sibh
airfidh siad; airfid †
a airfidh ; a airfeas / a n-airfidh *; a n-airfeas *
airfear
conditional
d'airfinn / airfinn ‡; n-airfinn ‡‡
d'airfeá / airfeá ‡; n-airfeá ‡‡
d'airfeadh sé, sí / airfeadh sé, sí‡; n-airfeadh sé, s퇇
d'airfimis ; d'airfeadh muid / airfimis ‡; airfeadh muid‡; n-airfimis ‡‡; n-airfeadh muid‡‡
d'airfeadh sibh / airfeadh sibh‡; n-airfeadh sibh‡‡
d'airfidís ; d'airfeadh siad / airfidís ‡; airfeadh siad‡; n-airfidís ‡‡; n-airfeadh siad‡‡
a d'airfeadh / a n-airfeadh *
d'airfí / airfí ‡; n-airfí ‡‡
subjunctive
present
go n-aire mé; go n-airead †
go n-aire tú; go n-airir †
go n-aire sé, sí
go n-airimid ; go n-aire muid
go n-aire sibh
go n-aire siad; go n-airid †
—
go n-airtear
past
dá n-airinn
dá n-airteá
dá n-aireadh sé, sí
dá n-airimis ; dá n-aireadh muid
dá n-aireadh sibh
dá n-airidís ; dá n-aireadh siad
—
dá n-airtí
imperative
airim
air
aireadh sé, sí
airimis
airigí ; airidh †
airidís
—
airtear
verbal noun
ar
past participle
airthe
* indirect relative † archaic or dialect form ‡ dependent form ‡‡ dependent form used with particles that trigger eclipsis (except an )
Noun
air m
genitive singular of ar
Etymology 2
Pronunciation
IPA (key ) : ( stressed ) /ɛɾʲ/ , ( unstressed ) /əɾʲ/
Pronoun
air (emphatic airsean )
third-person singular masculine of ar ( on him, on it m )
Mutation
Irish mutation
Radical
Eclipsis
with h -prothesis
with t -prothesis
air
n-air
hair
not applicable
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.
References
Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977 ) “air ”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla , Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
G. Toner, M. Ní Mhaonaigh, S. Arbuthnot, D. Wodtko, M.-L. Theuerkauf, editors (2019 ), “3 airid ”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
Kedah Malay
Etymology
From Proto-Malayic *air , from Proto-Malayo-Chamic *air , from Proto-Malayo-Sumbawan *wair , from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ .
Pronunciation
Noun
air
water .
Air manis
Sweet water
Kein
Pronunciation
Noun
air
woman
Further reading
Ludian
Etymology
From Proto-Finnic *airo .
Noun
air
oar
Malay
Etymology
From Proto-Malayic *air , from Proto-Malayo-Chamic *air , from Proto-Malayo-Sumbawan *wair , from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ .
First attested in the Talang Tuo inscription , 684 AD, as Old Malay ( āir ) .
Pronunciation
Noun
air (Jawi spelling اٴير , informal 1st possessive airku , 2nd possessive airmu , 3rd possessive airnya )
water ( liquid H2 O )
2012 , Faridah Abdul Rashid , Research on the Early Malay Doctors : 1900-1957 : Malaya and Singapore
loji rawatan air water treatment plant
Alternative forms
aek ( Pontianak )
aer ( Medan )
ayer ( obsolete, surviving in place names, pre-1972 in British East Indies )
ayar
Derived terms
Descendants
Baba Malay: aye
Indonesian: air
References
Blust's Austronesian Comparative Dictionary
Pijnappel, Jan (1875 ) “اير ajar ”, in Maleisch-Hollandsch woordenboek , John Enschede en Zonen, Frederik Muller, page 86
Wilkinson, Richard James (1901 ) “اير ayer or ayar ”, in A Malay-English dictionary (romanised) , Hong Kong: Kelly & Walsh limited, page 64
Wilkinson, Richard James (1932 ) “ayer ”, in A Malay-English dictionary (romanised) , volume I, Mytilene, Greece: Salavopoulos & Kinderlis, pages 56-7
Further reading
Norman
Etymology
From Latin āēr .
Noun
air m (plural airs )
air (mixture of gases that make up the earth's atmosphere)
Related terms
Old French
Alternative forms
Etymology
From Latin āēr .
Noun
air oblique singular , m (oblique plural airs , nominative singular airs , nominative plural air )
air ( mixture of gases that make up the earth's atmosphere )
Descendants
Old Irish
Alternative forms
Etymology
From the same root as ar ( “ for ” , preposition ) .
Pronunciation
Conjunction
air
for ( because, since )
For quotations using this term, see Citations:air .
Old Javanese
Etymology
Inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiR , compare Malay air .
Noun
air
water
Synonyms: bañu , jahnī , jala , salila , tīrtha , toya , uda , wari , wwe
Alternative forms
Derived terms
Further reading
"air" in P.J. Zoetmulder with the collaboration of S.O. Robson, Old Javanese-English Dictionary . 's-Gravenhage: M. Nijhoff, 1982.
Pohnpeian
Pronunciation
Verb
air
( transitive ) to strip off , as when stripping insulation off a wire
( transitive ) to wipe off a ropelike object by drawing it through one's hand or fingers
Air mahs keleuen.Please wipe the sap off the hibiscus bast.
Scots
Etymology 1
From Middle English air , from Old French air , from Latin āēr .
Noun
air (uncountable )
air , atmosphere
Derived terms
References
Etymology 2
From Icelandic ar ( “ mote, speck of dust ” ) .
Alternative forms
Noun
air (plural airs )
( Orkney , Shetland , Caithness , Banff) A small quantity , particle , morsel ; pinch (of snuff); whiff ; taste
References
Etymology 3
Perhaps from air . See above.
Verb
air (third-person singular simple present airs , present participle airin , simple past aired , past participle aired )
( Orkney ) to taste
References
Etymology 4
From Middle English ore , from Old English ār , from Proto-West Germanic *airu .
Alternative forms
Noun
air (plural airs )
( Orkney , Caithness , Northern ) oar
References
Etymology 5
Derived from Old Norse eyrr .
Alternative forms
Noun
air (plural airs )
( Orkney , Shetland ) gravelly beach
References
Etymology 6
From Middle English eire , from Old French eire , from Latin iter ( “ journey ” ) .
Noun
air (plural airs )
( obsolete ) eyre
References
Etymology 7
From Middle English er , from Old English ǣr , from Proto-West Germanic *airi .
Alternative forms
Adverb
air (not comparable )
early
Adjective
air (not comparable )
early
References
Scottish Gaelic
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
From a conflation of three Old Irish prepositions:
ar , air ( “ for ” ) (triggering lenition), from Proto-Celtic *ɸare ( “ in front of ” ) , from Proto-Indo-European *pr̥h₂i . Cognates include Ancient Greek παρά ( pará , “ beside ” ) and English fore .
for ( “ on ” ) (triggering no mutation), from Proto-Celtic *uɸor ( “ over, on ” ) (compare Welsh ar , Breton war ), from Proto-Indo-European *upér (compare Latin super , Ancient Greek ὑπέρ ( hupér ) , Old English ofer ).
íar ( “ after ” ) (triggering eclipsis), from Proto-Celtic *eɸirom ( “ after, behind ” ) , from Proto-Indo-European *h₁epi .
Cognates include Irish ar and Manx er .
Preposition
air (+ dative , triggers lenition in certain established phrases )
on , upon
air bàrr a' bhalla ― on top of the wall
tha mi air an rathad ― I'm on my way
air m' fhacal, chan innis mi dhi ― on my word, I will not tell her
beag air bheag ― little by little (literally, “little on little ”)
in ( certain geographical contexts )
air a' Ghàidhealtachd ― in the Highlands
air an dùthaich ― in the countryside
of , concerning
iomradh air do ghliocas ― a report of thy wisdom
by
air ainm ― by name
( idiomatic ) Used to indicate inalienable possession, feelings and minor medical conditions
dè an t-ainm a tha ort ? ― what's your name? (literally, “what the name that is on you ? ”)
tha an t-acras orm ― I'm hungry (literally, “the hunger is on me ”)
tha falt dubh orra ― they have black hair (literally, “black hair is on them ”)
tha an cnatan oirre ― she has a bad cold (literally, “the cold is on her ”)
for , on account of , by means of , through , within ( triggers lenition )
air an adhbhar sin ― for that reason
air bheag de làithean ― within a few days
Used with a verbal noun to indicate a state ( triggers lenition )
bha mi air bhoil às dèidh dhomh siud fhaicinn ― I was enraged after I saw that
bhiomaid air chall nan robh sinn anns a' choille ud ― we'd be lost if we were in that forest
thèid mi air chèilidh air mo sheanmhair ― I will visit my grandmother
( in conjunction with the verb bi ) must , have to
tha e air ri phàigheadh ― he has to pay (literally, “it is on him to pay ”)
( in one common phrase ) or ( triggers lenition )
rud air choreigin ― something or other
Used with a verbal noun to indicate the perfect tense ; after
tha mi air an obair a dhèanamh ― I have done the work (literally, “I am after the work its doing ”)
bha iad uile air falbh sa mhadainn ― they had all left in the morning (literally, “they were all after leaving in the morning ”)
bhithinn air faighinn às leis ― I would have gotten away with it (literally, “I would be after getting away with it ”)
Inflection
Derived terms
Pronoun
air
third-person singular masculine of air : on him , on it
Etymology 2
Reduced form of thar .
Alternative forms
Preposition
air (+ genitive , triggers lenition )
form of thar ; rarely used outwith the old counting system
deich air fhichead ― thirty (literally, “ten over twenty ”)
a' dol air beinn ― going over a mountain
Usage notes
The rule that this preposition governs the genitive is inconsistent.
Derived terms
Further reading
Edward Dwelly (1911 ) “air”, in Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan [The Illustrated Gaelic–English Dictionary ] , 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, →ISBN
MacBain, Alexander , Mackay, Eneas (1911 ) “air”, in An Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language , Stirling, →ISBN
MacLennan, Malcolm (1925 ) A Pronouncing and Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language , Edinburgh: J. Grant, →OCLC
Veps
Etymology
From Proto-Finnic *airo .
Noun
air
oar
Declension
Welsh
Pronunciation
Noun
air
Soft mutation of gair .
Mutation