breathabilityn.
/ˌbriːðəˈbɪlᵻti/, U.S. /ˌbriðəˈbɪlᵻdi/ 1. The quality of air in being fit or pleasant to breathe; the suitability of air for breathing.
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1927 J. A. Thomson Towards Health ii. 50 The breathability of poor air is greatly improved if it is coerced into movement by an electric fan or the like.
1972 A. R. Ammons Coll. Poems 353 How has the air..kept clarity, breatheability.
2016 Salt Lake Tribune (Nexis) 19 Apr. The Utah Division of Air Quality warned of degraded breathability as particulate pollution built over the state's urban valleys.
2. The capacity of a material, item of clothing, etc., to admit air and allow the evaporation of moisture.
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1932 Brit. Patent 380,640 (Stanley Chemical Co.) 1/1 Most leather as used in the fabrication of boots and shoes, has a characteristic known as ‘breathability’. That is, leather is sufficiently porous to permit passage of air and the shoe is said to ‘breathe’.
1992 Toronto Star (Nexis) 6 June j1 The seats combine the toughness and aroma of leather..with the breatheability of cloth.
2002 J. T. Bartis et al. Protecting Emergency Responders iii. 26 The suits' limited breathability and extra weight contributed to fatigue and heat stress as the firefighters performed demanding physical labor.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2020; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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