air

air
{{11}}air (n.1) c.1300, "invisible gases that make up the atmosphere," from O.Fr. air "atmosphere, breeze, weather" (12c.), from L. aerem (nom. aer) "air, lower atmosphere, sky," from Gk. aer (gen. aeros) "air" (related to aenai "to blow, breathe"), of unknown origin, possibly from a base *awer- and thus related to aeirein "to raise" and arteria "windpipe, artery" (see AORTA (Cf. aorta)) on notion of "lifting, that which rises." In Homer mostly "thick air, mist;" later "air" as one of the four elements.
Words for "air" in Indo-European languages tend to be associated with wind, brightness, sky. In English, air Replaced native lyft, luft (see LOFT (Cf. loft) (n.)). To be in the air "in general awareness" is from 1875; up in the air "uncertain, doubtful" is from 1752. To build castles in the air is from 1590s (in 17c. English had airmonger "one preoccupied with visionary projects"). Broadcasting sense (e.g. on the air) first recorded 1927. To give (someone) the air "dismiss" is from 1900. Air pollution is attested by 1870.
{{12}}air (n.2) 1590s, "manner, appearance" (e.g. an air of mystery); 1650s, "assumed manner, affected appearance" (especially in phrase put on airs, 1781), from Fr. air "look, appearance, mien, bearing, tone" (O.Fr. aire "reality, essence, nature, descent, extraction," 12c.; Cf. DEBONAIR (Cf. debonair)), from L. ager "place, field" (see ACRE (Cf. acre)) on notion of "place of origin."
But some French sources connect this Old French word with the source of AIR (Cf. air) (n.1), and it also is possible these senses in English developed from or were influenced by air (1); Cf. sense development of atmosphere and L. spiritus "breath, breeze," also "high spirit, pride," and the extended senses of anima.
{{12}}air (n.3) "melody, tune," 1580s, from It. aria (see ARIA (Cf. aria)).
{{13}}air (v.) "to expose to open air," 1520s, from AIR (Cf. air) (n.1). Figurative sense of "to expose, make public" is from 1610s of objects, 1862 of opinions, grievances, etc. Meaning "to broadcast" (originally on radio) is from 1933. Related: Aired; AIRING (Cf. airing).

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • AIR — Le globe terrestre est entouré d’une atmosphère constituée d’un mélange gazeux nommé air, qui s’étend de la surface du sol jusqu’à une altitude d’environ 150 kilomètres. La pression de l’air au niveau de la mer a longtemps servi d’unité de… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • air — 1. (êr) s. m. 1°   Fluide invisible, transparent, sans odeur ni saveur, pesant, compressible, élastique, qui forme autour de la terre une couche nommée atmosphère, et qui est composé de 0,79 d azote et de 0,21 d oxygène. L air était un des quatre …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

  • air — AIR. s. m. Celui des quatre Élémens qui environne le globe de la terre. L air est plus léger que l eau. La basse, la haute, la moyenne région de l air. Une colonne d air. La pesanteur de l air. La circulation de l air. L air se dilate, se raréfie …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie Française 1798

  • Air — ([^a]r), n. [OE. air, eir, F. air, L. a[ e]r, fr. Gr. ah r, air, mist, for a[digamma]hr, fr. root a[digamma] to blow, breathe, probably akin to E. wind. In sense 10 the French has taking a meaning fr. It. aria atmosphere, air, fr. the same Latin… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • air — air; Air·bra·sive; air·crafts·man; air·crafts·wom·an; air·crew·man; Air·dent; air·drau·lic; air·drome; air·graph; air·i·fied; air·i·ly; air·i·ness; air·ish; air·less; air·man; air·man·ship; air·scape; an·ti·air; an·ti·air·craft·er;… …   English syllables

  • air — [er, ar] n. [ME < OFr < L aer < Gr aēr, air, mist] 1. the elastic, invisible mixture of gases (chiefly nitrogen and oxygen, as well as hydrogen, carbon dioxide, argon, neon, helium, etc.) that surrounds the earth; atmosphere 2. space… …   English World dictionary

  • Air TV — Air (univers de fiction) Pour les articles homonymes, voir Air (homonymie). Air Type Seinen Genre Romance, drame, fantastique Jeu Développeur Kei …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Air BC — was an airline based in British Columbia in Canada and now part of Air Canada Jazz. History Air BC was established in 1980 after the merger (by the Jim Pattison Group) of a number of western coast domestic airlines: Canadian Air Transit, Flight… …   Wikipedia

  • Air 1 — IATA Code …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • air — ► NOUN 1) the invisible gaseous substance surrounding the earth, a mixture mainly of oxygen and nitrogen. 2) the open space above the surface of the earth. 3) (before another noun ) indicating the use of aircraft: air travel. 4) the earth s… …   English terms dictionary

  • air — n 1 Air, atmosphere, ether, ozone. Air designates the invisible mixture of gases which surrounds the earth and is the impalpable respirable substance essential to life {the air we breathe} or that substance mixed with or contaminated by other… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

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