air-breathing
adjective
air-breath·ing
ˈer-ˌbrē-t͟hiŋ 
: of, employing, or being an engine that requires air for combustion
Examples of air-breathing in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
China has unveiled a new type of air-breathing engine that could replace today’s turbine-ramjet systems, and reshape how future fighter jets and missiles achieve hypersonic speeds.
—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
31 Mar. 2026
One obvious problem is that an air-breathing engine cannot handle air coming in at Mach 5+.
—
New Atlas,
6 Apr. 2025
Tropical air-breathing snails lined its shores and shelled creatures lay just below the surface.
—
Irene Wright,
Miami Herald,
5 Mar. 2025
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Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
31 Mar. 2026
One obvious problem is that an air-breathing engine cannot handle air coming in at Mach 5+.
—
New Atlas,
6 Apr. 2025
Tropical air-breathing snails lined its shores and shelled creatures lay just below the surface.
—
Irene Wright,
Miami Herald,
5 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Air-breathing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/air-breathing. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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