Aircon

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A method of cooling air indoors while also reducing its humidity levels
2. A device employed for lowering indoor temperatures while also controlling moisture levels in the air within enclosed environments
3. A machine that lowers temperature and removes moisture from the air inside buildings

Etymology: "Aircon" is a clipping of "air-conditioning," which is itself a compound of "air" and "conditioning." The longer form is the older of the two, and the shortened version is a familiar piece of everyday British and Australian speech, where clipped forms like this are common. "Conditioning" in this sense is the process of controlling the temperature and humidity of a space, and it is the word that carries most of the technical meaning; "air" simply specifies the medium being treated. The clipped form keeps the same meaning as the full phrase, and it is used the same way, as a noun for both the process and the equipment that performs it. Its shortening follows a pattern seen in many modern English words, where a long compound is trimmed to a few syllables for speed in casual talk.

Synonyms: air conditioning