airy
adjective
ˈer-ē 
airier; airiest
1
a
: of or relating to air : atmospheric
b
: high in the air : lofty
airy perches
c
: performed in air : aerial
airy leaps
2
: unreal, illusory
airy romances
3
a
: being light and graceful in movement or manner : sprightly, vivacious
an airy dance
b
: exceptionally light, delicate, or refined
an airy fragrance
4
a
: open to the free circulation of air
an airy room
b
: having openings or spaces
airy lacework
5
: affected, proud
airy condescension
airily
ˈer-ə-lē
adverb airiness
ˈer-ē-nəs
noun 
Synonyms
- ethereal
- fluffy
- gossamer
- gossamery
- light
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
The room is open, light, and airy. He refused with an airy wave of his hand.
Recent Examples on the Web The texture was pliable enough to eat immediately, and neither too dense nor too airy. 
Ali Francis, Bon Appétit, 29 Aug. 2022 This airy four-bedroom home in the Sangre de Cristo foothills is near a national forest, hiking trails, and the Ten Thousand Waves spa. The Week Staff, The Week, 31 July 2022 The open-plan layout centers on an airy great room with a fireplace, 11-foot ceilings and abundant windows. Lauren Beale, Forbes, 18 July 2022 The Legally Blonde star wore a similar summer look earlier—an airy white dress with a colorful stripe design by her clothing brand, Draper James. Melody Leibner, Harper's BAZAAR, 11 July 2022 The house also includes a recreation room, art studio and dining room, and features an airy open kitchen and living room with a cozy white central fireplace. CNN, 26 May 2022 In the album artwork, the British singer is seen wearing an airy white baby doll shirt and denim bell-bottoms with disheveled hair that is just making our hearts melt. Gabi Thorne, Allure, 24 Mar. 2022 On a recent Saturday, a jazz trio — Eduardo Belo on bass, Rogério Boccato on drums and Vinicius Gomes on guitar — made the airy two-story dining room feel like the French Quarter by way of São Paulo, Brazil. New York Times, 24 Mar. 2022 Now, the large windows in Shockley’s new bright and airy classroom look out at an expanse of dirt — where their old school used to be. Olivia Krauth, The Courier-Journal, 10 Aug. 2022 See More
Ali Francis, Bon Appétit, 29 Aug. 2022 This airy four-bedroom home in the Sangre de Cristo foothills is near a national forest, hiking trails, and the Ten Thousand Waves spa. The Week Staff, The Week, 31 July 2022 The open-plan layout centers on an airy great room with a fireplace, 11-foot ceilings and abundant windows. Lauren Beale, Forbes, 18 July 2022 The Legally Blonde star wore a similar summer look earlier—an airy white dress with a colorful stripe design by her clothing brand, Draper James. Melody Leibner, Harper's BAZAAR, 11 July 2022 The house also includes a recreation room, art studio and dining room, and features an airy open kitchen and living room with a cozy white central fireplace. CNN, 26 May 2022 In the album artwork, the British singer is seen wearing an airy white baby doll shirt and denim bell-bottoms with disheveled hair that is just making our hearts melt. Gabi Thorne, Allure, 24 Mar. 2022 On a recent Saturday, a jazz trio — Eduardo Belo on bass, Rogério Boccato on drums and Vinicius Gomes on guitar — made the airy two-story dining room feel like the French Quarter by way of São Paulo, Brazil. New York Times, 24 Mar. 2022 Now, the large windows in Shockley’s new bright and airy classroom look out at an expanse of dirt — where their old school used to be. Olivia Krauth, The Courier-Journal, 10 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Phrases Containing airy
Kids Definition
airy
adjective
ˈer-ē
airier; airiest
1
: open to the air : breezy
an airy room
2
: high in the air
the bird's airy perch
3
: having a light or careless quality that shows a lack of concern
In spite of his airy tone, there was a look of great bitterness on his face. J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets4
: like air in lightness and delicacy
airy feathers
airy
adjective
1
as in fluffy
resembling air in lightness the bakery's lemon pies are famous for their airy meringues Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- fluffy
- light
- ethereal
- gossamer
- diaphanous
- delicate
- weightless
- lightweight
- wispy
- gauzy
- dainty
- insubstantial
- buoyant
- feathery
- vaporous
- cobwebby
- downy
- gossamery
- flimsy
- pillowy
- unsubstantial
- tender
- gauzelike
- lighter-than-air
- rarefied
- cumulous
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- heavy
- leaden
- substantial
- solid
- firm
- weighty
- ponderous
- bulky
- cumbersome
- unwieldy
- burdensome
- hefty
- lumpish
- hulking
2
as in ventilated
open to the free circulation of air a pleasant, airy room Synonyms & Similar Words
- ventilated
- breezy
- atmosphered
- vented
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- stuffy
- breathless
- unventilated
- suffocating
- close
- stifling
3
as in elevated
located at a greater height than average or usual airy mountain villages Synonyms & Similar Words
- elevated
- high
- soaring
- upper
- ascending
- ascendant
- overlooking
- uplifted
- overhead
- ascendent
- raised
- nosebleed
- upward
- upheld
- uppermost
- upraised
- topmost
- upmost
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- low
- grounded
- sunken
- descending
- depressed
- low-lying
- down
- lowered
- dropped
- fallen
- lowermost
- descendant
- level
- even
- descendent
- undermost
- nethermost
- abreast
4
as in lively
having much high-spirited energy and movement the airy revelry of their latest album is a departure from the slower and more somber music of the band's previous work Synonyms & Similar Words
- lively
- energetic
- animated
- animate
- active
- brisk
- cheerful
- bouncing
- jazzy
- playful
- springy
- spirited
- peppy
- perky
- awake
- sprightly
- vivacious
- enthusiastic
- jaunty
- zippy
- bright
- sparky
- racy
- kinetic
- frisky
- pert
- gay
- vital
- agile
- snappy
- spanking
- mettlesome
- up
- pizazzy
- buoyant
- pizzazzy
- effervescent
- dashing
- spiffy
- eager
- sparkly
- nimble
- upbeat
- chirpy
- dapper
- bubbly
- on the go
- spry
- chipper
- exuberant
- alert
- boisterous
- ebullient
- impish
- open-eyed
- frolicsome
- nervous
- agog
- pixieish
- wide-awake
- keen
- chirrupy
- skittish
- high-spirited
- high-strung
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- languid
- leaden
- lifeless
- vapid
- listless
- spiritless
- lackadaisical
- limp
- dead
- inanimate
- lazy
- inactive
- languishing
- inert
- sleepy
- sluggish
- unambitious
- weary
- indolent
- tired
- languorous
- lethargic
- torpid
- phlegmatic
- stolid
- dull
- impassive
- boring
- apathetic
- irksome
- tedious
5
as in subtle
satisfying or pleasing because of fineness or mildness an airy cologne that would be appropriate to wear to the office Synonyms & Similar Words
- subtle
- exquisite
- elegant
- delicate
- refined
- dainty
- rare
- supreme
- nuanced
- extraordinary
- fine
- superior
- prime
- choice
- select
- transcendent
- peerless
- selected
- fragile
- superlative
- incomparable
- picked
- unsurpassed
- preeminent
- frail
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- sturdy
- strong
- robust
- coarse
- crude
- ordinary
- rough
- common
- medium
- fair
- indifferent
- middling
- average
- mediocre
- run-of-the-mill
- second-rate