air brick

noun

chiefly British

: a hollowed or perforated brick or a metal box of brick size with grated sides used for ventilation

the use of air bricks to help prevent the buildup of damp

Last Friday January 14, the group of students were touring the Village and Monarch redevelopment site when they expressed their concerns over the loss of ornamental air bricks among the terraced houses on Lower Rockview Street.

—Belfast Telegraph, 20 Jan. 2011

Word History

First Known Use

1835, in the meaning defined above

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!