a. [ad. Fr. aérostatique, f. Gr. ἀερο-, see AERO-, + στατικ-ός causing to stand; f. vbl. root στα- stand.]
1. Of or pertaining to the balancing or weighing of air; pneumatic.
1791. E. Darwin, Bot. Gard., I. 83. Which [air] could not be thus accumulated … by any acrostatic laws at present known.
1828. Kirby & Spence, Entomol., III. xxxv. 591. A celebrated French writer seems to think their origin and structure aerostatic.
2. Of or connected with the navigation of the air; aeronautic.
[1784. De Galvez, in Phil. Trans., LXXIV. 469. Le moyen de pouvoir donner la direction aux machines aërostatiques.]
1785. Cavallo, Aerostation, Pref. Thus the aerostat, or the aerostatic machine, is the general appellation of the flying instruments.
1812. Sir H. Davy, Chem. Philos., 255. Hydrogene gas is … well fitted for aerostatic purposes.
1849. Mrs. Somerville, Connex. Phys. Sc., xxxv. 381. The observations of MM. Biot and Gay Lussac during their aerostatic expedition.
