aero-

aero-
  (ˈɛərəʊ, now rarely ˈeɪərəʊ)
  a. Gr. ἀερο-, combining form of ἀήρ, ἀέρα, air, the atmosphere, as in ἀεροµετρέειν to measure the air, ἀεροσκοπία divination by observing the heavens, etc. a. † aero-elastic (in form aereo-elastic), a. (see quot.); ˌaero-ˈembolism Path. (see quot. 1939); ˈaerogel Chem., a gel in which the liquid has been replaced by air or gas; aˌero-ˈgenerator, an electric generator operated by wind; ˈaerograph = air-brush; ˌaero-meˈchanics, the branch of mechanics which treats of the equilibrium and motion of air and other gases, and of bodies sustained in them; aˈero-oˈtitis ˈmedia Med., inflammation of the middle ear caused by a change in atmospheric pressure; cf. aviator's ear (aviator 2 b); aerophagia (-ˈfeɪdʒɪə) Path., also aeˈrophagy [ad. F. aé rophagie (M. L. Bouveret 1891, in Rev. de Méd. XI. 148): see -phagy], the swallowing of air; aeroˈplankton Biol., a collective name for all the forms of minute organic life drifting in the air; also attrib.; ˌaerotheraˈpeutics (Syd. Soc. Lex., 1881), -ˈtherapy = pneumatotherapeutics; aeˈrotropism Bot. [ad. G. aërotropismus (H. Molisch 1885, in Wiener Akad. Sitzungsber. XC. i. 137), f. Gr. τροπή turning (τρέπειν to turn): see -ism], the property, exhibited esp. by the growing roots of plants, of bending or turning towards a source of air; hence aeroˈtropic a.

1747 R. James Pharmacopœia Univ. ii. iii. 146 [Temperating medicines] operate by an expansive and *aereo-elastic Quality, such as that which is inherent to Nitre.

1939 H. G. Armstrong Aviation Med. xxi. 342 *Aero⁓embolism may be defined as the disease produced by a rapid decrease of pressure below 1 atmosphere, such as may occur in aircraft flights to high altitude, and which is marked by the formation of nitrogen bubbles in the body tissues and fluids.

1923 W. E. Gibbs Clouds & Smokes vi. 112 Frequently a low specific gravity is due to the particles possessing the very open, spongy structure of an ‘*aerogel’. 1923 R. Whytlaw-Gray et al. in Proc. R. Soc. A. CII. 613 It seems likely that our thicker deposits of ZnO and CdO possess a conformation closely analogous to many gels, and the term ‘aerogel’ suggested by Prof. Donnan is not inappropriate. 1951 Sci. News Let. 1 Sept. 144/1 The modern napalm bomb..contains a silica aerogel.

1946 P. H. Thomas (title) The Wind Power *Aerogenerator. Ibid. (Foreword), This study was made to determine the character of structures suitable for aerogenerators devoted to utility power supply.

1898 Brit. Jrnl. Photogr. 29 Apr. 274/1 Enlargements finished with the *aerograph in water colours. 1939 Archit. Rev. LXXXV. 101 (caption) Detail of a panel by Sigmund Pollitzer, on polished black glass, using a fine aerograph-type sand-gun nozzle which enables the sandblaster to direct the blast accurately and, by reducing the pressure, obtain gradations of tone.

1909 Cent. Dict. Suppl., *Aero⁓mechanics. 1938 Jrnl. R. Aeronaut. Soc. XLII. 394 A very old and fundamental principle of aeromechanics.

1937 Armstrong & Heim in Jrnl. Amer. Med. Assoc. 7 Aug. 419/1 In the United States the term ‘aviator's or aviation ear’ has begun to appear in the literature, while in Germany the terms ‘barotrauma’ and ‘tonetrauma’ have been suggested. The former are obviously unsuitable and the latter may be criticized as not being descriptive of the disease. We therefore suggest ‘*aero-otitis media’..as a suitable descriptive term. 1949 Lancet 14 May 826/1 Clinical observations on aero-otitis media in aviators, compressed-air workers, and subjects in low-pressure-chamber tests.

1901 Lancet 30 Mar. 953/1 In certain cases *aerophagia takes a grave form: it produces vomiting, aggravates the dyspepsia, and leads to emaciation. Ibid. 953/2 In horses aerophagia is a recognized disorder and is known to horse-dealers in France as ‘tic à l'air’.

1901 Dorland Med. Dict. (ed. 2) 26/1 *Aerophagy.

1932 Fuller & Conard tr. Braun-Blanquet's Plant Sociol. iv. 76 The quantitative investigation of the edaphon and *aeroplankton is still in its infancy, and one must be content [with]..an approximate idea of the great wealth of species of air and soil floras. 1938 Nature 7 May 828/1 The possible importance of the aeroplankton yeasts as virus carriers is not, of course, limited to the case of foot-and-mouth disease.

1894 C. T. Williams (title) *Aero-Therapeutics, or the Treatment of Lung Diseases by Climate.

1876 Sci. Amer. 29 July 63/1 *Aerotherapy..Air..is forced by steam power and kept at a pressure somewhat above that of the open atmosphere. Dr. Carlo Forlanini is the discoverer and advocate of this treatment. 1918 Lancet 30 Nov. 757/1 His..suggestions..about aerotherapy, hydrotherapy, poultices.

1889 Cent. Dict., *Aërotropism. 1898 H. C. Porter tr. Strasburger's Text-Bk. Bot. I. ii. 263 Thermotropism..Rheotropism..and Aerotropism, a form of chemotropism, are additional phenomena, which have been distinguished as arising from the special action of external stimuli. Ibid. 281 The pollen grain then grows out into a tube which is acted upon by chemotropic (including hydrotropic and aerotropic) influences. 1919 F. O. Bower Bot. Living Plant viii. 128 Such plants are described as ‘pot-bound’. This condition is due to the fact that the roots grow towards a source of free oxygen... Such a response is styled aerotropism, and roots curving towards the source are positively aerotropic.

  b. With reference to aircraft, aviation, travel or conveyance by aircraft, or to operations conducted by aircraft; also in various names of aircraft or their parts: as † aero-biplane, aero-bus, aero-car, aero-cycle, aero-engine, aero-meteorograph, † aero-motion, aero-photography (hence aero-photographic adj.), † aero-screw, † aero-surface, † aero-taxi, † aero-traffic; aero-chemical, aero-marine, aero-medical, aero-naval adjs.; also aero club, a club for the pursuit and promotion of aviation; also † aero meet, † aero race; † aero-curve, an occasional substitute for aeroplane (senses 1 and 2 b); † aerodone (-dəʊn), -doˈnetics (see quots.); ˈaerodyne (-daɪn) [back-formation from aerodynamic a.], a generic term for heavier-than-air aircraft; † aeromotive [F. aéromotive, after locomotive], a heavier-than-air aircraft; also attrib.; ˈaero-ˈmotor † (a) a heavier-than-air aircraft; (b) an aircraft motor (Funk, 1928) (chiefly U.S.); † aeronat [ad. F. aéronat (1889 Aéronaute 158), f. L. natāre to swim]: see quot. 1908; aero-towing, the towing of a glider by a light aeroplane to a height suitable for launching; also aero-tow, an instance of aero-towing; aˈerotrain [ad. F. aérotrain], a prototype high-speed train supported on an air cushion and guided by a track (never put into full service).

1874 Ann. Rep. Aëronaut. Soc., The *Aero-bi-plane or First Steps to Flight.

1906 Daily Chron. 11 Dec. 6/6 ‘*Aerobus’ might be preferred [to ‘airvan’]. 1913 Daily Mail 4 Oct. 6 The Grahame-White aerobus established a new passenger-carrying record by taking up nine passengers. 1960 Aeroplane XCIX. 850/1 To date, the transport helicopter has been most successful in airline service as a special purpose vehicle (‘aerobus’) transferring passengers between airports in the Chicago and New York areas. 1965 Guardian 10 Feb. 1/1 The Minister..announced that discussions were in progress for ‘an aerobus’ to provide cheap travel for large numbers.

1910 Flight 13 Aug. 634/2 Airmen..are either Aeronauts or Aviators, according as the *Aerocar that they control is an Airship or an Aeroplane. 1926 Chambers's Jrnl. 14 Aug. 581/2 Aero-cars may take off from here.

1937 Daily Herald 16 Apr. 10/3 The second stage of an *aero-chemical attack will be the passing down of fluid poisons stored, under pressure or not, in containers carried by aircraft.

1900 Science XII. 799/1 Through the cooperation of the *Aëro Club, balloon races were organized.

1894 J. Means in Aeronaut. Ann. 1895 157 The design here given calls for aeroplanes as being more easily made than *aerocurves modelled after the wings of birds. 1897 O. Chanute in Aeronaut. Ann. 41 The first machine which was repaired..was the aerocurve, with three superposed fixed surfaces. 1901 Flying Dec. 17 The twin-screw propelled ‘aerocurve machine’. 1902 F. Walker Aërial Navig. 115 Aeroplanes and Aerocurves. When these are made of fabric, yacht duck may be employed.

1901 Sci. Amer. 2 Mar. 130/3 Mortureux; *aerocycle with four wings. 1957 Britannica Bk. of Yr. 1956 512/1 Aerocycle, a small helicopter for use by combat infantrymen.

1907 F. W. Lanchester Aerodynamics 393 *Aerodone, from the Greek ἀερο-δόνητος, lit. tossed in mid air; soaring. To denote a gliding or soaring model or machine; in particular, any gliding or soaring appliance destitute of propelling apparatus or auxiliary parts; in contradistinction to aerodrome. Ibid., Aerodonetics, the science specially involved in problems connected with the stability or equilibrium of an aerodone or aerodrome, or of birds in flight, and with the phenomenon of soaring. 1908 Daily Report 21 Nov. 2/4 ‘Aerodone’ denotes a motorless flying machine, a glider.

1906 W. Turnbull in Sci. Amer. 211/1 *Aerodyne. 1907 ― in Physical Rev. XXIV. 285, I use the word ‘aërodyne’ in preference to ‘flying-machines’, to denote an aëroplane-supported machine, driven by mechanical power through the air. 1934 Shell Aviation News No. 32. 4 There are specialists in engines, heavier-than-air craft (aerodynes), [etc.].

1913 Aeroplane 6 Feb. 124/2 ‘Aero’, which Mr. O'Gorman suggested as an abbreviation for aero⁓plane, is useful as a prefix, for instance in aero-show, *aero-engine, and so forth. 1963 Listener 17 Jan. 124/1 Rolls-Royce are to put 16,000 employees in their aero-engine division on short time.

1917 H. Woodhouse Textbk. Naval Aeronautics 100 (caption) The 125 horse-power *Aeromarine hydro-aeroplane.

1937 Jrnl. R. Aëronaut. Soc. XLI. 634 *Aeromedical research (esp. the chemistry of breathing). 1962 Flight Internat. LXXXI. 262/2 The ‘aeromedical observer’, a doctor, monitors the astronaut's physical condition.

1910 Boston Daily Globe 4 Sept. 21/1 *Aero meet.

1945 C. P. Lent Rocket Research 74/1 Friez-type *aero⁓meteorographs.

1878 Ann. Rep. Aeronaut. Soc. 44 In no case in which man has succeeded in fast locomotion by machines has he rigidly copied nature, and in every case he has beaten it. In *aëromotion man will do the same. 1881 W. D. Hay 300 Yrs. Hence ix. 214 Health..has been marvellously improved by the universal custom of aëromotion.

1865 C. H. Turnor Astra Castra vii. 256 The balloon can only therefore be..the prologue; the true piece is the *aeromotive, which supersedes the balloon. 1868 Aëronaut. Soc., Catal. First Exhib. 11 Model of an Aeromotive Engine.

1902 F. Walker Aërial Navig. p. viii, The construction of dirigible balloons, aërostats, aëroplanes, and aëromotors to be..illustrated by various types already made. Ibid. p. ix, The aëromotor or air-ship will always be of great value. 1935 ‘J. Guthrie’ Little Country vi. 139, I am working on the boat..a hundred horse-power Curtis Vth aero⁓motor in her.

1903 Aeronaut. Jrnl. 41 A steerable balloon [is called] an *aëronat. 1908 Daily Report 21 Nov. 2/4 ‘Aeronat’ is a dirigible, motor-driven balloon or airship.

1959 Economist 21 Feb. 663/1 United States *aero-naval strength in the Formosa Strait.

1918 H. Woodhouse Textbk. Mil. Aeronautics 93/2 Detailed description of the British *aerophotographic organization will be of great assistance.

1918 E. S. Farrow Dict. Mil. Terms 9 *Aëro⁓photography, the art of photographing from aëroplanes or airships. 1939 Geogr. Jrnl. XCIII. 331 If..we ever undertake contouring of the Highlands of Scotland..the best way to do it will be by means of aerophotography and a plotting machine.

1912 World Alman. (N.Y.) 432 Cross-country *Aero Races European Circuit Race.

1902 Flying June 135 Studying this matter of aerocurves and *aeroscrews.

1894 J. D. Fullerton in Proc. Internat. Conf. Aerial Navig. 241 Sustainer, or *aerosurface, which rests on the air. 1902 Aeronaut. World (U.S.) 1 Oct. 65/2 Hofman's Flying Machine..is furnished with three large square flat aero⁓surfaces. 1904 J. Fullerton Rep. Aerial Navig. 1 Aero⁓surfaces, or Flying Machines proper.

1909 Flight 2 Jan. 14 In the aeroplane we have something new, something that is not standardised down, and commercialised so far as to have *aero-taxis and aero-buses.

1971 N. Ellison Brit. Gliders & Sailplanes ii. 20 Winch launching from these long runways gave a good launch height, and aerodromes..eased the introduction of *aero-tow launching. 1978 A. Welch Bk. Airsports ii. 40/1 But, if the glider pilot thinks he would like an aerotow back home, it is no good his ending up in any small meadow.

1938 Times 3 May 13/3 Yet there are two gliding clubs in England which have so far been unable to persuade the local light aeroplane clubs to arrange for *aero-towing. 1978 A. Welch Bk. Airsports ii. 39/1 (caption) Aerotowing is a satisfactory means of launching because the glider can be taken to a suitable area of sky to start soaring.

1906 Lancet 15 Dec. 1674/1 (title) *Aero-traffic.

1965 Guardian 12 May 12/7 France is going ahead with a study of an ‘*aerotrain’ system that would link cities at speeds of between 125 and 240 miles an hour... The train would ride on a monorail, suspended on a cushion of air of the Hovercraft kind. 1967 Jane's Surface Skimmer Syst. 1967–68 52 (caption) The experimental Aerotrain has attained 188 mph..over its 4.2 mile..long test track with the aid of a booster rocket. 1971 Daily Tel. (Colour Suppl.) 6 Aug. 13/3 The French have..been working on ‘aerotrains’ and two are in advanced experimental operation. Riding on a cushion of air as they straddle a high central ‘rail’, these trains reach speeds up to 200 mph. 1977 R. Whitaker Fodor's Railways of World 140 The aerotrain test track can be seen from the SNCF main line near Orleans.

  
  
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   Add: [a.] aeroˈtaxis Zool. and Bot., a taxis in which the stimulus is oxygen concentration.

1895 Jrnl. R. Microsc. Soc. Oct. 515 Herr Curt Herbst..discusses the *aero (oxygeno)-taxis of the segmentation cells in Arthropod ova. 1970 [see aerotactic adj. below]. 1981 Sci. Amer. Dec. 49/1 Magnetotaxis makes aerotaxis more efficient by reducing random excursions and promoting straight-line motility.

  hence aeroˈtactic a.

1940 Chambers's Techn. Dict. 15/2 *Aerotactic. 1970 New Scientist 26 Feb. 397/1 (caption) Aerotaxis. The bacteria under the coverslip at the left hand side are ‘positively aerotactic’, aggregating around the edges where the oxygen concentration is higher than in the centre. 1986 M. Kogut tr. Schlegel's Gen. Microbiol. ii. 64 Some motile bacteria reveal their metabolic capacities relative to oxygen or air by their aerotactic movements.

Oxford English Dictionary