helicopter

American  

[hel-i-kop-ter, hee-li-] / ˈhɛl ɪˌkɒp tər, ˈhi lɪ- /

noun

1. any of a class of heavier-than-air craft that are lifted and sustained in the air horizontally by rotating wings or blades turning on vertical axes through power supplied by an engine.

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verb (used without object)

1. to fly in a helicopter.

verb (used with object)

1. to convey in a helicopter.

helicopter British  

/ ˈhɛlɪˌkɒptə /

noun

1. an aircraft capable of hover, vertical flight, and horizontal flight in any direction. Most get all of their lift and propulsion from the rotation of overhead blades See also autogiro

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verb

1. to transport (people or things) or (of people or things) to be transported by helicopter

Etymology

Origin of helicopter

From the French word hélicoptère, dating back to 1885–90. See helico-, -pter

Explanation

A helicopter is a flying vehicle with a system of rotors that lift and propel it. In some cities, police officers patrol in helicopters. In some suburbs, wealthy people even commute by helicopter. Like airplanes, helicopters travel through the air — but unlike airplanes, they don't have wings. Most helicopters have a large rotor blade on top that creates lift by spinning rapidly. Smaller rotors help the helicopter move and steer. Hospitals use helicopters for transporting patients in crisis, for whom an ambulance might not move fast enough. The word comes from Greek roots, helix, "spiral," and pteron, "wing."

Example Sentences

Black Hawk helicopter and air-defense radar system in Baghdad in March.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2026

Police in South Africa have managed to recover human remains after an officer was lowered from a helicopter into a crocodile-infested river in the search for a businessman swept away by floodwater last week.

From BBC • May 3, 2026

Speaking at a rally on Friday, Trump said "we're like pirates" as he described an earlier helicopter raid on an oil tanker under the blockade.

From Barron's • May 2, 2026

A Sheriff’s Office helicopter then located Bellish a short distance away near Panorama Ridge and guided deputies to his location, where he was taken into custody without further incident.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

The shots from the helicopter were like bullets in Owen’s heart.

From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz

Related Words

• chopper