ventilation
Americannoun
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the act of ventilating.
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the state of being ventilated.
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facilities or equipment for providing ventilation.
noun
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the act or process of ventilating or the state of being ventilated
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an installation in a building that provides a supply of fresh air
Other Word Forms
- nonventilation noun
- overventilation noun
- reventilation noun
- underventilation noun
- ventilative adjective
- ventilatory adjective
Etymology
Origin of ventilation
1425–75; late Middle English ventilacioun < Latin ventilātiōn- (stem of ventilātiō ), equivalent to ventilāt ( us ) ( see ventilate) + -iōn- -ion
Explanation
Ventilation is when you let fresh air into a place, or air a room out. If you've ever been in a stuffy, hot room and said, "Someone open a window!" you know what it meas to need ventilation. Ventilation airs out an indoor space by letting fresh air in and stale or smelly air out, and it's more effective if you open several windows on opposite sides of the house or building. A fan in the window can also aid ventilation. The root word is the Latin ventulus, "a breeze," which comes from ventus, "wind."
Vocabulary lists containing ventilation
Holes
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Ventus and Venire
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for March 12–March 18, 2022
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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.
The state-sponsored energy-efficiency programs are generally used to improve heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems and for LED lighting upgrades.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026
Tuesday and jumped into offensive mode, coordinating roof ventilation, fire suppression and salvage operations on the third floor, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026
Problems with mould, water systems and ventilation have previously affected Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital campus.
From BBC • Mar. 19, 2026
If electricity fails, the bunker's ventilation system can be operated manually using a hand crank — much like in vintage cars.
From Barron's • Mar. 12, 2026
It was a hole, left for ventilation, and there was a screen over it.
From "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH" by Robert C. O'Brien
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.
