open-air

1 of 2

adjective

ˈō-pən-ˈer How to pronounce open-air (audio)
Synonyms of open-airnext
: outdoor

open air

2 of 2

noun

: the space where air is unconfined
especially : outdoors

Synonyms of open-air

Relevance

Adjective

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of open-air in a Sentence

Adjective an open-air concert under the stars Noun a family of city dwellers who can't wait to go camping in the open air
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Decked out in regalia featuring feathers, jingles, beads and colorful fabrics, these dancers from across Californian and North American tribal communities did prayer ceremonies in the Shingle Springs Rancheria’s open-air dance circle. — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 23 Aug. 2026 The photons were then distributed across the open-air link and successfully received and measured at the Quantum Lighthouse. — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 23 Aug. 2026
Noun
The hydrotherapy is partly open air, which allows the natural soundtrack of the resort’s luscious 44-acre grounds to carry through the air and drenched in natural sunlight. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Aug. 2026 German-speaking Switzerland debuted to $160K at 42 screens, also boosted by pre-release open air and Ladies Night screenings. — Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 16 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for open-air

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1830, in the meaning defined above

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of open-air was in the 15th century

Rhymes for open-air

See All Rhymes for open-air

Browse Nearby Words

open adoption
open-air
open air
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Open-air.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/open-air. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

open air

noun
: outdoors entry 2 sense 1
open-air adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on open-air

Nglish: Translation of open-air for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All