aviation
Americannoun
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the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft.
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military aircraft.
noun
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the art or science of flying aircraft
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the design, production, and maintenance of aircraft
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military aircraft collectively
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of aviation
From French, dating back to 1865–70; see origin at avi-, -ation
Explanation
If it has to do with flying or operating a plane, it has to do with aviation. If someone tells you that he's in aviation school, that means he is learning how to fly a plane. Aviation comes from the Latin avis meaning "bird," an appropriate translation given that aviation deals with travel by air, specifically in a plane. The aviation industry is the business sector dedicated to manufacturing and operating all types of aircraft. Air traffic controllers, when they are awake, are concerned with aviation safety.
Vocabulary lists containing aviation
Flying High: Aviation Words
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The Cay
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November Words
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But expanding the tournament to such an extent does not, with aviation accounting for 80-90% of its carbon footprint.
From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026
“The preliminary report is, in my view, very carefully worded,” says Safety Matters Foundation Amit Singh External link, a nongovernmental organization dedicated to aviation safety.
From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026
The investment bank’s analysts parse data from aviation intelligence tool Diio Mi to establish that the number of Australia-North America seats provided across all carriers has declined by 1.2% over the past year.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026
For years, airlines have pointed to sustainable aviation fuel, otherwise known as SAF, as the future of lower-carbon flying.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026
He trained in aviation metal- smithing, specializing in the repair of propellers.
From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
