aerate
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to expose to the action or effect of air or to cause air to circulate through.
to aerate milk in order to remove odors.
-
to change or treat with air or a gas, especially with carbon dioxide.
-
Physiology. to expose (a medium or tissue) to air as in the oxygenation of the blood in respiration.
verb
-
to charge (a liquid) with a gas, esp carbon dioxide, as in the manufacture of effervescent drink
-
to expose to the action or circulation of the air, so as to purify
-
To add a gas, such as carbon dioxide, to a liquid.
-
To supply with oxygen. Blood is aerated in the alveoli of the lungs.
-
To supply with air or expose to the circulation of air.
Other Word Forms
- aeration noun
- aerator noun
- nonaerated adjective
- nonaerating adjective
- subaerate verb (used with object)
- subaeration noun
- unaerated adjective
Etymology
Origin of aerate
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A keystone species, bears are known to till and aerate soil as they search for potato-like roots like Alpine sweetvetch, munch on berries, and later deposit the seeds through their scat.
From Seattle Times • Nov. 26, 2023
The obvious utility of iron for fashioning tougher and more durable tools used to clear forests, aerate land, and dig trench- based irrigation systems led others to adopt the new material.
From Textbooks • Apr. 19, 2023
By tunneling, they aerate soil and drag seeds underground to sprout.
From Washington Post • Sep. 19, 2022
Make sure to whisk and sift thoroughly in order to combine the flour and cornstarch evenly and aerate the mixture.
From Salon • Jun. 30, 2022
In general the effect of all this habitation of the soil is to aerate it and improve both its drainage and the penetration of water throughout the layers of plant growth.
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
