noun
airlock
noun
1
A sealed chamber with two doors that lets people or objects pass between areas of different air pressure, such as on a spacecraft or submarine, without letting the pressure equalize suddenly.
"The astronauts cycled through the airlock before their spacewalk."
"A small airlock kept the pressurized cabin sealed off from the outside."
2
An unwanted bubble of trapped air that blocks the flow of liquid in a pipe.
"The pump stalled because an airlock had formed in the hose."
How to Use Airlock
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA sealed doorway system that keeps air pressure separate on each side, or a stray air bubble stuck in a pipe.
Common pairings
pass through an airlock
an airlock chamber
clear an airlock
Word Forms
airlocked past tense, airlocks singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “airlock”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The astronauts cycled through the _____ before their spacewalk.
Etymology
From air + lock, describing a chamber that "locks" air in or out, similar to how a canal lock manages water levels.