adjective, air·i·er, air·i·est.
- open to a free current of fresh air; breezy: airy rooms.
- consisting of or having the character of air; immaterial: airy phantoms.
- light in appearance; thin: airy garments.
- light in manner; sprightly; lively: airy songs.
- light in movement; graceful; delicate: an airy step.
- light as air; unsubstantial; unreal; imaginary: airy dreams.
- visionary; speculative.
- performed in the air; aerial.
- lofty; high in the air.
- putting on airs; affected; snobbish: an airy debutante posing for society photographers.
adjective airier or airiest
- abounding in fresh air
- spacious or uncluttered
- nonchalant; superficial
- visionary; fancifulairy promises; airy plans
- of or relating to air
- weightless and insubstantialan airy gossamer
- light and graceful in movement
- having no material substanceairy spirits
- high up in the air; lofty
- performed in the air; aerial
noun
- Sir George Biddell . 1801–92, British astronomer, noted for his estimate of the earth’s density from gravity measurements in mines; astronomer royal (1835–81)
late 14c., “of the air, made of air,” from air (n.1) + -y (2). Meaning “breezy” is attested from 1590s; that of “lively” is from 1640s. Sense of “vain, unsubstantial” is from 1580s. Disparaging airy-fairy is attested from 1920 (earlier in a sense of “delicate or light as a fairy,” which is how Tennyson used it in 1830).