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Synonyms

aviation

American  
[ey-vee-ey-shuhn, av-ee-] / ˌeɪ viˈeɪ ʃən, ˌæv i- /

noun

  1. the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft.

  2. military aircraft.


aviation British  
/ ˌeɪvɪˈeɪʃən /

noun

    1. the art or science of flying aircraft

    2. the design, production, and maintenance of aircraft

  1. military aircraft collectively

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • aviatic adjective

Etymology

Origin of aviation

From French, dating back to 1865–70; avi-, -ation

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.

Walsh currently leads the civil aviation industry's leading trade association, the IATA.

From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026

Singapore's civil aviation authority also said it is postponing a green jet fuel levy which was due to kick in from April 2026, due to the impact of the Iran war.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

While it’s true that the Guggenheim Foundation was a major funder, it’s worthwhile to recall that aviation pioneer Charles Lindbergh brought about that connection.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

By the early 1960s, the full-fledged flight research center had become a hub of cutting-edge aviation research, thrown into high gear by NASA’s “brightest and boldest”:

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2026

In the years prior to 1919, extraordinary advances were made in the field of aviation.

From "1919 The Year That Changed America" by Martin W. Sandler