fighter pilot

American  

[fahy-ter pahy-luht] / ˈfaɪ tər ˌpaɪ lət /

noun

Military.

1. a pilot trained to fly aircraft classified as fighters and to engage in aerial combat.

   The last surviving member of this celebrated squadron of fighter pilots has died, at age 92.

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Etymology

Origin of fighter pilot

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

Kirby, 58, grew up in a small town outside Dallas, went to the Air Force Academy with dreams of being a fighter pilot and ended up with a much different career involving planes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 25, 2026

A former Mig-29 fighter pilot and commander-in-chief of the Bulgarian Air Force, his victory is impressive by Bulgarian standards, but does not give Progressive Bulgaria a strong enough mandate to govern alone.

From BBC • Apr. 19, 2026

Hansen, a 50-year-old former fighter pilot on his maiden voyage into space, said he saw "some extraordinary things" during the first hours aboard the Orion.

From Barron's • Apr. 4, 2026

MIAMI—Before he emerged as the best young pitcher on the planet, Paul Skenes dreamed of becoming a fighter pilot.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 16, 2026

He knew that her sending him out with Toomer had a lot to do with his father and things he was and was not learning as the son of a fighter pilot.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy