airing

English

WOTD – 27 February 2026

Etymology

From air (“substance constituting Earth’s atmosphere”, noun) and air (“to bring (something) into contact with the air; to let fresh air into (a place); to make public (an opinion, etc.); to broadcast (something)”, verb) +‎ -ing (suffix forming nouns or noun-like terms from verbs, denoting acts of doing something, actions, or the embodiment of action; and forming the present participles of verbs).^[1]

Pronunciation

(UK)
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈɛəɹɪŋ/
- (Standard Southern British, Wales) IPA^(key): /ˈɛːɹɪŋ/
  - Audio (Southern England): (file)
- (Northern England, Midlands)
  - (without NG-coalescence) IPA^(key): /ˈɛːɹɪŋɡ/
    - (Lancashire, fair–fur merger) IPA^(key): /ˈɜːɹɪŋɡ/
  - (ng-coalescence) IPA^(key): /ˈɛːɹɪŋ/
- (Scotland) IPA^(key): /ˈeɾɪŋ/
(General American) IPA^(key): /ˈɛɹɪŋ/
- Audio (General American): (file)
(Australia) IPA^(key): /ˈeːɹɪŋ/
(New Zealand)
- (without the cheer–chair merger) IPA^(key): /ˈeəɹɪŋ/
- (cheer–chair merger) IPA^(key): /ˈiəɹɪŋ/
Homophones: erring (US pronunciation or fair–fur merger); earring (cheer–chair merger)
Rhymes: -ɛəɹɪŋ
Hyphenation: air‧ing

Noun

airing (countable and uncountable, plural airings)

(uncountable) Exposure of something to the air, especially fresh or warm air for the purpose of ventilating or drying; (countable) an instance of this.
- 1610 (first performance), Ben[jamin] Jonson, The Alchemist, London: […] Thomas Snodham, for Walter Burre, and are to be sold by Iohn Stepneth, […], published 1612, →OCLC, Act I, scene i, signature B3, verso:
  Hee'll ſend ſuch vvord, for ayring o' the houſe / As you ſhall haue ſufficient time, to quit it.
- 1611, Randle Cotgrave, compiler, “Ventilation”, in A Dictionarie of the French and English Tongues, London: […] Adam Islip, →OCLC, signature Lllll, recto, column 2:
  Ventilation. […] [A] vvinnovving, or airing in the vvind; […]
- 1627 (indicated as 1626), Francis [Bacon], “IV. Century. [Experiments in Consort, Touching Prohibiting and Preuenting Putrefaction.]”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC, paragraph 343, page 91:
  [I]n Bodies that need Detention of Spirits, the Excluſion of the Aire doth good; As in Drinkes, and Corne: But in Bodies that need Emiſsion of Spirits, to diſcharge ſome of the Superfluous Moiſture, it doth hurt, for they require Airing.
1. (countable) An act of taking an animal (especially a dog or horse) into the open air for exercise.
  - 1593, Iruis [i.e., Gervase] Markham, “How to Chuse a Horse for Hunting, How to Trayne Hym there-vnto: And also Howe to Dyet Him, hauing Made Some Great Match or Wager”, in A Discource of Horsmanshippe, […], London: […] I[ohn] C[harlewood] for Richard Smith, […], →OCLC, signature G3, verso:
    [R]yde out your Horſe euery night, two howers after Sunne ſette, ⁊ abide abroade with him three howres at the leaſt, not exceeding foote-pace, which we call night ayrings.
  - 1615, G[ervase] M[arkham], “[The Husbandmans Recreations: […].] Of Hawking with All Sorts of Hawkes, and of Coursing with Grey-hounds.”, in Countrey Contentments, in Two Bookes: The First, Containing the Whole Art of Riding Great Horses in Very Short Time, […] The Second Intituled, The English Huswife: […], London: […] I[ohn] B[eale] for R[oger] Iackson, […], →OCLC, 3rd section (Of Hawking, &c.), page 103:
    Touching ayring or vvalking of grey-hounds, vvhich is a great nouriſher and increaſer of vvinde, it muſt devvlie be done euerie morning before ſunne-riſe, and euery euening before ſunne ſet in […]
  - 1814 March 28, [Frances Burney], chapter LIII, in The Wanderer; or, Female Difficulties. […], volume III, London: […] Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, […], →OCLC, book VI, page 275:
    [T]he favourite dog was put under her superintendence; and she was instructed to take charge of the airings and exercise of Bijou; and to carry him where the road was rough or miry, that he might not soil those paws, which had the exclusive privilege of touching the lady of the mansion; and even of pulling, patting, and scratching her robes and attire for his recreation.
2. (countable, dated) An act of riding or walking in the open air for exercise or leisure.
  - 1607, [John Day, William Rowley, George Wilkins], The Travailes of the Three English Brothers. Sir Thomas Shirley. Sir Anthony Shirley. Mr. Robert Shirley. […], London: […] [George Eld] for Iohn Wright, […], →OCLC, signature G3, recto:
    According to this my vvarrant heere, I muſt this morning fetch my priſoner to ayring, hee had need bee hung out, leaſt his fleſh ſhould mould, for I am ſure, his clothes are muſtie already; […]
  - 1629 (first performance), Philip Massinger, The Picture. A Tragecomedie, […], London: […] I[ohn] N[orton] for Thomas Walkley […], published 1630, →OCLC, Act V, scene i, signature M, recto:
    Hovv do you like / Your ayring? is it not a fauour?
  - 1705, J[oseph] Addison, “Monaco, Genoa, &c.”, in Remarks on Several Parts of Italy, &c. in the Years 1701, 1702, 1703, London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, pages 18–19:
    Their Fleet, […] is novv reduc'd to Six Gallies. […] This little Fleet ſerves only to fetch 'em VVine and Corn, and to give their Ladies an Airing in the Summer ſeaſon.
  - 1803 (date written), [Jane Austen], chapter IX, in Northanger Abbey; published in Northanger Abbey: And Persuasion. […], volume I, London: John Murray, […], 20 December 1817 (indicated as 1818), →OCLC, page 147:
    […] I hope you have had a pleasant airing?
  - 1813 January 27, [Jane Austen], chapter VII, in Pride and Prejudice: […], volume III, London: […] [George Sidney] for T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC, page 139:
    Kitty, run down and order the carriage. An airing would do me a great deal of good, I am sure.
  - 1835–1836, [Frederick Marryat], chapter XIX, in Japhet, in Search of a Father. […], Franklin Library edition, New York, N.Y.: Wallis & Newell, […], →OCLC, page 211:
    When I returned to the carriage, as my father had desired me to take an airing, I thought I might as well have a companion, so I directed them to drive to Mr. Cophagus'. […] "Susannah," said I, "I know you do not like to walk out, so I thought, perhaps, you would have no objection to take an airing in the carriage; my father has lent it to me. Will you come?—it will do you good."
  - 1878 January–December, Thomas Hardy, “The Dishonesty of an Honest Woman”, in The Return of the Native […], volume I, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], published 1878, →OCLC, book I (The Three Women), page 224:
    In the course of twenty minutes she appeared from round the corner, and advanced as if merely taking an airing.
  - 1978, Beryl Bainbridge, chapter 27, in Young Adolf, London: Gerald Duckworth & Co., →ISBN, page 151:
    Bridget decided to take the baby to the park on Sunday afternoon for an airing.
(figurative)
2. (countable) An act of broadcasting a radio or television show; a broadcasting.
  - 1990, Wayne Jancik, “The Fifties”, in Fred Weiler, editor, The Billboard Book of One-hit Wonders, New York, N.Y.: Billboard Books, Watson-Guptill Publications, →ISBN, page 21, column 1:
    Seldom was he [Sanford Clark] seen, and almost never were his recordings given mass airings.
4. (uncountable) Public disclosure or discussion of a subject, or expression of an opinion; (countable) an instance of this.
  airing of grievances
  - 1870 September – 1871 November, George Meredith, “An Expedition”, in The Adventures of Harry Richmond. […], volume I, London: Smith, Elder & Co., […], published 1871, →OCLC, page 166:
    I really felt that I was justified in giving my irritability an airing by curious allusions to Janet; yet, though I made him wince, it was impossible to touch his conscience.
  - 1962 February, “Talking of Trains: The ‘Midland Pullman’”, in Modern Railways, Shepperton, Surrey: Ian Allan Publishing, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 77:
    One controversy which has not had an airing in discussion of the new Transport Bill is that centring on the status of the Pullman Car Co.

Derived terms

airing cupboard

Related terms

air out
(public disclosure): air one's dirty laundry in public

Translations

exposure of something to the air, especially fresh or warm air for the purpose of ventilating or drying; an instance of this

Catalan: aireig (ca) m
Finnish: tuuletus (fi), tuulettaminen (fi)
Norwegian:
Bokmål: luftetur m

Nynorsk: please add this translation if you can
Persian: گردش (fa)
Portuguese: arejamento m
Romanian: aerisire (ro) f, ventilare (ro) f
Russian: прове́тривание (ru) n (provétrivanije)

act of taking an animal into the open air for exercise

Finnish: ulkoilutus (fi)
French: please add this translation if you can
Russian: вы́гул (ru) m (výgul), выгу́ливание (ru) n (vygúlivanije)

act of riding or walking in the open air for exercise or leisure

Finnish: ulkoilu (fi), jaloittelu (fi)
French: please add this translation if you can
Russian: прогу́лка (ru) f (progúlka), моцио́н (ru) m (moción) (literary)

act of broadcasting a radio or television show — see broadcasting

public disclosure or discussion of a subject, or expression of an opinion; an instance of this

Finnish: ilmi tuominen, esiin tuominen, nostaminen (fi)
French: please add this translation if you can
Russian: огла́ска (ru) f (ogláska)

Verb

airing

present participle and gerund of air.

References

^ “airing, n.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, September 2025; “airing, n.”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.

Anagrams

ragini, nigari, Ingria

[1] “airing, n.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, September 2025; “airing, n.”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.

[1]