the act or process of ventilating or the state of being ventilated an installation in a building that provides a supply of fresh air
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
ven•ti•late /ˈvɛntəˌleɪt/USA pronunciation
v. [~ + object], -lat•ed, -lat•ing.
ven•ti•la•tor, n. [countable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to provide (a room, mine, etc.) with fresh air.
- to express or give expression to so as to enable open, full examination and discussion:to ventilate the issue before a committee.
ven•ti•la•tor, n. [countable]
ven•ti•la•tion
(ven′tl ā′shən),USA pronunciation n.
ven•ti•la•to•ry
(ven′tl ə tôr′ē, -tōr′ē),USA pronunciation adj.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- the act of ventilating.
- the state of being ventilated.
- Buildingfacilities or equipment for providing ventilation.
- Latin ventilātiōn- (stem of ventilātiō), equivalent. to ventilāt(us) (see ventilate) + -iōn- -ion
- 1425–75; late Middle English ventilacioun
ven•ti•late
(ven′tl āt′),USA pronunciation v.t., -lat•ed, -lat•ing.
v.i.
ven′ti•la•ble, adj.
- to provide (a room, mine, etc.) with fresh air in place of air that has been used or contaminated.
- Medicine
- to oxygenate (blood) by exposure to air in the lungs or gills.
- to assist the breathing of (a person), as with a respirator.
- (of air or wind) to circulate through or blow on, so as to cool or freshen the air of:Cool breezes ventilated the house.
- to expose to the action of air or wind:to ventilate floor timbers.
- to submit (a question, problem, etc.) to open, full examination and discussion.
- to give utterance or expression to (an opinion, complaint, etc.).
- Buildingto furnish with a vent or opening, as for the escape of air or gas.
v.i.
- to give utterance or expression to one's emotions, opinions, complaints, etc.
- Latin ventilātus (past participle of ventilāre to fan), equivalent. to vent(us) wind1 + -il- verb, verbal suffix (variant of -ul-, origin, originally after derivs. of nouns ending in -ulus -ule; compare speculate) + -ātus -ate1
- late Middle English ventilatten to blow (something) away 1400–50
- 5.See corresponding entry in Unabridged broadcast, publicize, circulate, report.
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