Air
/ɛər/
nounBeginner🔥Very CommonNature
1 meaning1 question
Definitions
1
A colorless, odorless, tasteless gas, the single most important constituent of the earth's atmosphere.
/ɛər/
nounneutralBeginner
Nature
The mixture of gases such as nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide that surrounds the earth.
The air pollution index is very high today.
💡 Simply: The stuff we breathe, made up of different gases.
More Examples
2
The pilot descended to a lower altitude to find cleaner air.
How It's Used
Science
"The air is composed of approximately 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and 1% other gases."
Everyday Life
"Open the window to let some fresh air in."
From Old English ēr, from Proto-Germanic *emaz, from Proto-Indo-European *ai- (to burn, shine).
Historically, air has been associated with life and spirit (Latin: spiritus and Greek: pneuma).
Memory tip
Imagine an invisible blanket made up of different gases around our planet, protecting us from extreme temperatures.
Word Origin
LanguageProto-Indo-European
Original meaning
"To burn, shine"
fresh airthin air
Common misspellings
areayre
Practice
Usage
85%Spoken
70%Written