Airconditioning

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A mechanism utilized to cool and dehumidify enclosed spaces for improved comfort and air quality
2. An installation aimed at adjusting the temperature and humidity levels within a building by circulating cooler air
3. A system designed to regulate indoor climate by lowering temperature and removing moisture from the air

Etymology: Air conditioning is a compound of "air" and "conditioning," and the second half carries most of the history. "Conditioning" comes from the verb "condition," which in older English meant to put something into a particular state or fit it for use. Early American usage stretched the idea to cover a room's atmosphere, so a building could be "conditioned" much as a body or a piece of leather could be. The word is written as one solid term in some sources, but the standard form is two words, and the closed spelling is simply a variant of the same compound. Its parts mean what they say: the first is the air being treated, and the second describes the act of bringing it to a set state.

Synonyms: climate control, cooling, ventilation, temperature regulation, air treatment