airflow

noun air·flow \ -ˌflō \

Updated on: 15 May 2018

Definition of airflow

: a flow of air; especially : the motion of air (as around parts of an airplane in flight) relative to the surface of a body immersed in it

See airflow defined for kids

Recent Examples of airflow from the Web

But Blankenship says a change in airflow, required by MSHA, caused the explosion.

— nicole gaudiano, USA TODAY, "How a coal baron sees his criminal conviction as a political asset in West Virginia," 17 Apr. 2018
The convection generated by high airflow below the hand dryer nozzles could also draw in room air.

— beth mole, Ars Technica, "Hot-air dryers suck in nasty bathroom bacteria and shoot them at your hands," 6 Apr. 2018
Pros Top scores for being quiet Most comfortable to hold Light Strong airflowGenerous cord length Attached cord tie for easy storage Cons Sufficient drying time This dryer was one of the quietest hairdryers tested.

— the good housekeeping institute, Good Housekeeping, "Bio Ionic Gold Pro Hair Dryer," 30 Dec. 2016
Dirty filters restrict your furnace’s airflow and reduce its energy efficiency.

— wilson weaver, chicagotribune.com, "3 home improvement issues you should never ignore," 9 Apr. 2018
Thick wires arched over the fingers and controlled the airflow to more than 100 inflatable pockets embedded in the glove’s mesh lining, which created sensations of touch and even texture on my skin.

— sarah e. needleman, WSJ, "Virtual Reality, Now With the Sense of Touch," 3 Apr. 2018
As Jaguar played with prototypes of the SVR, engineers discovered the air ducts near the front wheels and at the rear of the car were actually disrupting airflow, so those got filled up (the ones in the back now house extra brake lights).

— alex davies, WIRED, "Jaguar's New F-Pace SUV Is Fast, Sporty, and Expensive," 29 Mar. 2018
The new design is entirely focused on maximizing the aerodynamics of the car, with a larger front splitter than its road-car equivalent and the outer skin of the doors squeezed tight into the center of the car to direct airflow and increase speed.

— sandy thin, CNN, "The $1.4 million car inspired by Ayrton Senna," 20 Mar. 2018
And there are active vanes that can open up in the front bumper to boost airflow to the battery and climate control system if necessary.

— jonathan m. gitlin, Ars Technica, "Electric cat: Jaguar stalks Tesla with $70,000 I-Pace SUV," 6 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'airflow.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.