Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

air-box

noun
plural air-boxes

Definition of air-box

: a chamber in a motor vehicle through which air is drawn and filtered before passing into the carburetors or fuel injectors One of the car’s neatest features is a flap on the intake air-box beneath the hood that opens above 3,000 rpm, emitting a wild, flat intake moan under acceleration.— Terry Box, Dallas Morning News, 8 June 2008

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

First Known Use of air-box

1857, in the meaning defined above

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about air-box

Statistics for air-box

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for air-box

The first known use of air-box was in 1857

See more words from the same year

Comments on air-box

What made you want to look up air-box? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

Show Comments  Hide Comments 

WORD OF THE DAY

misnomer

Listen to the pronounciation of misnomer

a wrong name or inappropriate designation

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Test Your Vocabulary

Summer 2019 Words of the Day Quiz

  • a-bowl-of-peach-sorbet-with-cut-peaches-next-to-it
  • Which is a synonym of desideratum?
Name That Thing

Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!

TAKE THE QUIZ
Citation

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games