airlock
airlock Lexical Profile
airlock Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A sealed chamber with two airtight doors that permits passage between spaces of different atmospheric pressure or composition without allowing air to escape or enter.
"The astronauts waited inside the airlock while the chamber slowly depressurized before their spacewalk."
An obstruction of trapped air or vapor in a pipe, pump, or hydraulic system that prevents the normal flow of liquid.
"The plumber had to bleed the radiator to clear an airlock that was stopping hot water from circulating."
A water-filled valve fitted to a fermentation vessel that allows carbon dioxide to escape while preventing outside air and contaminants from entering.
"Steady bubbling in the airlock indicated that the yeast was actively fermenting the cider."
• Rhymes for airlock
Word Origin & Etymology
First recorded in the mid-19th century as a compound of 'air' and 'lock', modeled after 'waterlock' (canal lock) to describe a pressurized chamber used in underwater caissons and tunneling.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.