''pneumatic'' ▫ᴱᴺ Entries

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''pneumatic'' ▫ᴱᴺ｜Definition｜1st｜20260331180822-00-⌔

pneumatic - Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

Adjective

pneumatic (comparative more pneumatic, superlative most pneumatic)

• Of, relating to, or resembling air or other gases
• Of or relating to pneumatics
• Powered by, or filled with, compressed air
  • ✤ a pneumatic instrument or engine
• (zoology) Having cavities filled with air
  • ✤ * pneumatic cells or bones*
• Spiritual; of or relating to the pneuma
• (of a woman) well-rounded; full - breasted; bouncy
  • ✤ Her almost pneumatic bust tightened itself, and she was quite prepared to say uncharitable things, as she saw Felicia enter.¹
  • ✤ “Every one says I’m awfully pneumatic,” said Lenina reflectively, patting her own legs.²
  • ✤ This short but pneumatic woman had killed six men and yet for some reason he wasn’t afraid.³

Noun

pneumatic (plural pneumatics)

• (dated) A vehicle, such as a bicycle, whose wheels are fitted with pneumatic tyres.
• (Gnosticism) In the gnostic theologian Valentinus ’ triadic grouping of man, the highest type; a person focused on spiritual reality (the other two being hylic and psychic).

Etymology

From Latin pneumaticus, from Ancient Greek πνευματικός (pneumatikós, “relating to wind or air”), from πνεῦμα (pneûma, “wind, air, breath, spirit”), from πνέω (pnéō, “to blow, breath”).

Pronunciation

• IPA: /n(j)uːˈmæ.tɪk/
• Audio (Southern England): 🔊

Printed 2026-06-28.

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Footnotes

1. 1899, Alan Dale, His Own Image: A Novel, G. W. Dillingham Company, page 59: ↩

2. 1932, Aldous Huxley, chapter 6, in Brave New World ‎${}^{[1]}$, London: Chatto & Windus: ↩

3. 2015, Mark Sanderson, Robin Hood Yard (Snow Hill 3), HarperCollins UK, page 255: ↩

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