cargo bay

noun

1. the large central area of the space shuttle orbiter's fuselage in which payloads and their support equipment are carried.

Word History and Origins

Origin of cargo bay¹

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

Unloaded firearms that are packed in locked cases and declared at check-in are allowed to fly in the cargo bay but never inside the passenger cabin, according to federal guidelines.

From Time

And from the size of them, a single crate would fill the cargo bay of each of the jets.

From Project Gutenberg