air-condition: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1Neutral to formal; common in technical, real-estate, and everyday contexts.
Quick answer
What does “air-condition” mean?
To regulate the temperature, humidity, and air quality inside a building or vehicle using a mechanical system.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To regulate the temperature, humidity, and air quality inside a building or vehicle using a mechanical system.
To make an environment comfortable by artificial cooling (and often dehumidification and cleaning) of air. Can be used figuratively to mean making something artificially controlled or comfortable.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
UK: More likely to retain the hyphen in formal writing (air-condition). US: Often writes as two words for the verb (air condition). The noun is universally 'air-conditioning' or 'AC'.
Connotations
Largely identical. Slightly more associated with necessity in hot US climates, while in the UK it can be seen as a luxury or for commercial spaces.
Frequency
Higher frequency in American English due to climate and standard building practices.
Grammar
How to Use “air-condition” in a Sentence
[Subject] + air-condition + [Object] (e.g., They air-condition the office.)[Object] + be + air-conditioned (e.g., The car is air-conditioned.)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “air-condition” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The developers plan to air-condition the entire shopping centre.
- Older trains are seldom air-conditioned.
American English
- We need to air condition the server room for the new equipment.
- Most new cars come air conditioned as standard.
adverb
British English
- Not commonly used as an adverb.
American English
- Not commonly used as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- They searched for an air-conditioned taxi.
- The air-conditioned lobby provided welcome relief.
American English
- Look for an air conditioned rental car.
- She waited in the air conditioned terminal.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Essential specification in real estate, hotel, and vehicle sales.
Academic
Used in engineering, architecture, and environmental studies texts.
Everyday
Common in discussions about home comfort, car features, and weather.
Technical
Refers to the full HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) process.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “air-condition”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “air-condition”
- Incorrect: *'aircondition' (as one word). Correct: 'air-condition' or 'air condition'.
- Incorrect: *'The room has air-condition.' Correct: 'The room is air-conditioned.' or 'The room has air-conditioning.'
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
As a verb, it is commonly two words in American English ('air condition') and hyphenated in British English ('air-condition'). The noun is always 'air-conditioning' or 'AC'.
'Air-condition' involves active cooling/dehumidifying/filtering of air. 'Ventilate' means to allow fresh air to circulate, which can be natural (opening a window) or mechanical, but not necessarily cooling it.
Yes, it's very common. For example: 'an air-conditioned office', 'The car is air-conditioned.'
It is 'air-conditioned' (with one 'n'). The base form adds '-ed' like a regular verb.
To regulate the temperature, humidity, and air quality inside a building or vehicle using a mechanical system.
Air-condition is usually neutral to formal; common in technical, real-estate, and everyday contexts. in register.
Air-condition: in British English it is pronounced /ˈeə kənˌdɪʃ.ən/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈer kənˌdɪʃ.ən/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[Figurative] An air-conditioned existence (a life overly protected from hardship).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: AIR needs to be put into a good CONDITION — so we AIR-CONDITION it.
Conceptual Metaphor
COMFORT IS A CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT; TECHNOLOGY IS A SHIELD AGAINST NATURE.
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'air-condition' correctly as a verb?