air

UK: eə | US: er

Definition
  1. n. the invisible gaseous substance surrounding Earth, a mixture mainly of oxygen and nitrogen

  2. n. the space above the ground; the sky or atmosphere

  3. vt. to expose to fresh air; to ventilate

  4. vt. to broadcast or express publicly (e.g., opinions, grievances)

Structure

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Etymology

The word "air" traces back to Latin aer (from Greek aēr), meaning "the lower atmosphere" or "mist." It entered Old French as air and was later adopted into Middle English, retaining its core meaning of the invisible gaseous envelope surrounding Earth. The Greek root aēr originally distinguished the lower, breathable air from the upper aithēr (ether). Over time, "air" expanded semantically to include concepts like "sky," "breeze," and figurative uses like "public expression."

Examples
  1. The fresh morning air smelled of rain and grass.

  2. Birds soared high in the air, circling above the valley.

  3. She opened the windows to air out the stuffy room.

  4. The radio station will air the interview at noon.

  5. His speech aired grievances about workplace inequality.