air

The word “air” means the mixture of gases that makes up Earth's atmosphere, which we breathe. In plain terms, most often the gas we breathe, but also used for a personal quality, or for broadcasting on TV/radio.

“Air” is pronounced EH-uh (/ˈɛɚ/ in IPA).

Here is “air” used in a sentence: “She took a deep breath of fresh mountain air.”

Words with a similar meaning to “air” include atmosphere, aura, luft, gas and nimbus.

Depending on how it is used, “air” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “air” comes from Ancient Greek. From Old French air, from Latin aer, from Ancient Greek aer.

“Air” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.

“Air” has 6 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the mixture of gases that makes up Earth's atmosphere, which we breathe.

Air is a mixture of many gases, while oxygen is just one of them. Air is roughly 78% nitrogen and only about 21% oxygen, with small amounts of argon, carbon dioxide and water vapour. So we breathe air to get the oxygen our bodies need, but the two words are not interchangeable.

Air is a mixture of gases. By volume it is about 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen, with the remaining 1% made up of argon, carbon dioxide, tiny traces of other gases, and a variable amount of water vapour. This blend is what surrounds the planet and sustains most living things.

Yes. Although it feels like nothing, air is made of matter and has mass, so it has weight. The atmosphere presses down on us as air pressure, which we notice most clearly when it changes, for example when our ears pop as we climb or descend quickly.

Air is a mixture, not a compound. Its gases, such as nitrogen, oxygen and argon, are simply blended together and are not chemically bonded, so their proportions can vary slightly from place to place. Because it is a mixture, the components can be separated by physical means such as cooling and distillation.