airspeed

American  

[air-speed] / ˈɛərˌspid /

Or air speed

noun

1. the forward speed of an aircraft relative to the air through which it moves.

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airspeed British  

/ ˈɛəˌspiːd /

noun

1. the speed of an aircraft relative to the air in which it moves Compare groundspeed

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Etymology

Origin of airspeed

First recorded in 1905–10; air ¹ + speed

Compare meaning

How does airspeed compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• airspeed vs. groundspeed

Example Sentences

Facing repeated stall warnings and wildly fluctuating airspeed readings, the pilots responded by pulling up the nose of the plane, causing its speed to drop and the aircraft to stall, French accident investigators found.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026

But this affected the aerodynamic characteristics of the airplane, causing the nose to pitch up at high angle of attack at high airspeed.

From Salon • Jan. 26, 2024

Plaintiffs had accused Air France of insufficiently training its pilots on how to react when the airspeed sensors malfunctioned.

From New York Times • Apr. 17, 2023

The crash led to changes in regulations for airspeed sensors and in how pilots are trained.

From Washington Times • Apr. 17, 2023

He knew airspeed was different from groundspeed but not by how much.

From "Hatchet" by Gary Paulsen