autopneumatic
|au-to-pneu-mat-ic|
🇺🇸
/ˌɑːtəpnuːˈmætɪk/
🇬🇧
/ˌɔːtəpnjuːˈmætɪk/
self-operating by air
Etymology
'autopneumatic' originates from Greek, specifically the elements 'auto-' and 'pneuma', where 'auto-' meant 'self' and 'pneuma' meant 'breath' or 'air'.
'autopneumatic' was formed in modern English by combining the prefix 'auto-' (from Greek 'autos') with 'pneumatic' (from Greek 'pneumatikos' via Latin and French), producing a compound that entered technical usage in the 19th–20th century.
Initially the root 'pneuma' referred to 'breath' or 'wind'; over time compounds with 'pneumatic' came to mean 'operated by air or gas', and 'autopneumatic' evolved to mean 'self-operating by air pressure'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
having a pneumatic system that operates automatically; self-regulating or self-acting by means of air or gas pressure.
The engineers designed an autopneumatic suspension to adjust ride height without manual input.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Adjective 2
specifically capable of inflating or maintaining pressure automatically (often used of tires, bellows, or control systems).
The prototype featured autopneumatic tires that compensated for punctures on the track.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/11/27 22:18