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Glite Dictionary
to aerate

to aerate

5 4.5
To put air into something, for example soil or liquid
  • verb
  • /ˈɛəreɪt/
translation icon : aerear
  • Before drinking, many people choose to aerate their wine to enhance its flavors.
  • aerate the soil

But again, we're shallowly tilling to aerate that top layer of soil.

Examples

  • About one-third of the 230,000 tons of biosolids cake generated annually is composted using aerated static piles.

    Academic text (1998)

  • Biosolids will be composted in an enclosed aerated static pile bay system.

    Academic text (1996)

  • But again, we're shallowly tilling to aerate that top layer of soil.

    MIgardener

  • The curing bins are also aerated in the positive mode through automatic temperature feedback control.

    Academic text (1998)

  • The turner is shipped weekly, so that each municipality can aerate piles monthly.

    Academic text (1996)

  • The growth medium was aerated with an air pump and stirred with a magnetic stirrer.

    Academic text (2015)

  • Once blended, loaders dump the material in relatively low piles on an aerated floor.

    Academic text (1999)

  • The city also composts yard trimmings outside in windrows that are aerated with a Wildcat turner.

    Academic text (1995)

  • To help the plants grow better, you should aerate the soil regularly.

  • Using a garden fork, you can easily aerate your lawn to improve its health.

Synonyms

to air
vsto aerate
20 1.0

To put something in fresh air to dry

adds gas into a substance rather than just exposing surfaces outside
to ventilate
vsto aerate
12 4.4

To let fresh air into a room so it is not stuffy

introduces gas into materials directly rather than only renewing indoor atmosphere
to air out
vsto aerate
8 3.0

Open something so wind from outside moves through it to remove bad smells or moisture

introduces gas into materials instead of briefly refreshing by outside exposure
to oxygenate
vsto aerate
  • Specialized
7 5.8

To add oxygen to something like water, blood, or wine

adds gas more generally or into substances rather than only enriching with that gas
to oxygenize
vsto aerate
  • Specialized
7.3

To add oxygen to something like water or blood to help living things

adds gas more generally rather than focusing on supplying that single gas

Antonyms

to deaerate
  • Specialized
9.9

Remove air or gas from a liquid

How Aerated

to oxygenate
  • Specialized
7 5.8
to aerate
5 4.5
to blow
711 1.0
to breathe in
54 1.0

Surface Forms

aerate infinitive
aerated past
aerated past participle
aerating present participle
aerates third person singular

Morphology

aerate = air (semi-transparent) = aer + ate

The verb means 'to add air' and follows the productive pattern 'air' + '-ate', but the combining form 'aer-' (spelled with 'ae') is less familiar and may confuse learners.

Etymology

Aerate comes from an old Greek root aer meaning 'air', the same root you can see in aerobic and aeroplane. So, to aerate something is to put 'air' into it.