lufting

Lufting is a term found mainly in Germanic-language sources, and only sporadically in English. In general usage it denotes the act of letting air into an enclosed space or material, with the aim of improving air exchange, drying, or odor removal. In modern English, the term is rare and often replaced by ventilation or airing.

The word derives from the German Luft meaning air. The related verb Lüften means to air out or ventilate; the noun Lüftung refers to ventilation. Similar forms appear in Dutch and Scandinavian languages with related senses. In English-language technical writing, lufting is typically treated as a loanword or historical spelling rather than a current standard term.

In architectural and building-science contexts, lufting refers to the process of exchanging indoor air with outdoor air to control humidity and indoor air quality. In horticulture, agriculture, and fermentation contexts, the standard terms are aeration or ventilation; lufting appears as an occasional historical or regional usage. The exact definition can vary by language and period, so usage is often clarified by the surrounding technical vocabulary.

See also: ventilation, airing, and aeration.