aeroplane
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of aeroplane
1870–75; < French aéroplane, equivalent to aéro- aero- + -plane, apparently feminine of plan flat, level (< Latin plānus; cf. plain 1), perhaps by association with forme plane; apparently coined and first used by French sculptor and inventor Joseph Pline in 1855
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.
He said: "I'll never forget going out of that aeroplane and falling through the air, but it was all over so quickly."
From BBC ● Jun. 30, 2026
Multiple land and ground water assessments from the time make reference to the fire training area - where firefighters would practice putting out an aeroplane set on fire above a "pond" of fuel.
From BBC ● Jun. 23, 2026
"In this context, the player has been invited to Istanbul to advance the transfer negotiations and undergo medical examinations," they added with a photo of Guendouzi on an aeroplane.
From Barron's ● Jan. 8, 2026
He says: "I thought about it, I spoke to the wife and said do you mind if I go and play on an aeroplane? That was four years ago."
From BBC ● Nov. 9, 2025
The vertical rudders allowed the aeroplane to make a level turn to the left or to the right.
From "Dragonwings" by Laurence Yep
![]()
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.