open-air

adjective \ ˈō-pən-ˈer \

Updated on: 24 Apr 2018

Definition of open-air

: outdoor

See open-air defined for English-language learners

First Known Use of open-air

1830

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

open-air Synonyms

open air

noun

Definition of open air

: the space where air is unconfined; especially : outdoors

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Examples of open air in a Sentence

a family of city dwellers who can't wait to go camping in the open air

Recent Examples of open air from the Web

Eventually Norma and Ray slip away from the mourning to play in the open air.

— meghan cox gurdon, WSJ, "Budding Minds in a Green World," 11 Apr. 2018
Designed as a sprawling, open air plaza loaded with bars, and shops, the Park opened last Spring and has already been drawing a crowd for its year-round programming like farmers markets and movie nights.

— nina kokotas hahn, Condé Nast Traveler, "The Hotel Zachary Makes Wrigley Field the Place to Stay Even For Non-Cubs Fans," 29 Mar. 2018
For those who’d rather shop in the open air, the Market Common provides an entire ‘village’ of residences, restaurants and shops to peruse.

— aleks kang, USA TODAY, "8 reasons why Myrtle Beach should be your next vacation," 2 Apr. 2018
Provincial officials in these areas reported that more than 7,000 schools either teach in open air or have worked out temporary arrangements for classes in rental homes.

— mujib mashal and najim rahim, New York Times, "A New Push Is On for Afghan Schools, but the Numbers Are Grim," 1 Apr. 2018
The virus latches onto the nose and throat mucus and proliferates through coughing and sneezing, with a life span of up to two hours in the open air.

— the washington post, NOLA.com, "Australian tourist may have spread measles in New York this month, health officials fear," 26 Feb. 2018
The process of air-chilling a chicken means that, after it was slaughtered and de-feathered and all that, it was cooled by hanging in open air, not by being submerged in cold water.

— alex delany, Bon Appetit, "How to Buy the Best Chicken at the Grocery Store," 19 Feb. 2018
Some viruses usually die within hours when out in the open air, Dr. Leone explains.

— lindsey lanquist, SELF, "How to Clean Your Sex Toys So You Can Use Them Safely," 15 Mar. 2018
The billboard near Interstate 15 is about 3.5 miles (5.6 kilometers) from Mandalay Bay resort, where a gunman fired more than 1,000 shots from 32nd-floor windows into the crowd at an open air concert before killing himself.

— Washington Post, "Group takes credit for Vegas ‘Shoot a School Kid’ billboard," 7 Mar. 2018

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