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• bombardier
  bombardier

  noun

  the member of a bombing plane crew who operates the bombsight and bomb-release mechanism.
• Bombardier
  Bombardier

  a snowmobilelike vehicle driven by an internal-combustion engine, equipped with caterpillar tracks at the rear, steered by skis at the front, and designed for travel over snow.

bombardier

¹ American  

[bom-ber-deer, -buh-] / ˌbɒm bərˈdɪər, -bə- /

noun

1. Military. the member of a bombing plane crew who operates the bombsight and bomb-release mechanism.

2. History/Historical. artilleryman.

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Bombardier ² American  

[bom-ber-deer, -buh-, bom-bahr-dyay] / ˌbɒm bərˈdɪər, -bə-, ˌbɒm bɑrˈdjeɪ /

Trademark, Canadian.

1. a snowmobilelike vehicle driven by an internal-combustion engine, equipped with caterpillar tracks at the rear, steered by skis at the front, and designed for travel over snow.

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bombardier ¹ British  

/ ˌbɒmbəˈdɪə /

noun

1. the member of a bomber aircrew responsible for aiming and releasing the bombs

2. a noncommissioned rank below the rank of sergeant in the Royal Artillery

3. Also called: bombardier beetle. any of various small carabid beetles of the genus Brachinus , esp B. crepitans of Europe, which defend themselves by ejecting a jet of volatile fluid

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Bombardier ² British  

/ ˌbɒmbəˈdɪə /

noun

1. a snow tractor, typically having caterpillar tracks at the rear and skis at the front

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Etymology

Origin of bombardier¹

From Middle French, dating back to 1550–60; see origin at bombard, -ier ²

Origin of Bombardier²

First recorded in 1945–50; after Canadian inventor and industrialist Armand Bombardier (died 1964), who designed it

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bombardier Bombardier

Air Force tasked Edward Ruppelt, a wartime bombardier, with gathering and analyzing pilots’ reports for a program called Project Blue Book.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026

Mr Cattini landed on Gold Beach on D-Day as a bombardier in the 86th Field Regiment of the Hertfordshire Yeomanry.

From BBC ● May 19, 2023

His bombardier and first real friend in the service, Danny Shapiro, was later shot down on another plane and held as a prisoner of war for a year.

From New York Times ● Dec. 17, 2021

Mr. Pedevillano was born in Bayonne, N.J., and was a B-17 bombardier when he parachuted to safety from his burning plane on April 24, 1944.

From Washington Post ● Dec. 18, 2020

“A trained bombardier is supposed to drop his bombs the first time,” Colonel Cathcart reminded him.

From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller

Bombardier, which owns Learjet, declined to comment on the accident.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2026

Bombardier plans to invest $270 million to expand its U.S. infrastructure footprint and hire 800 American workers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026

"Bombardier values its great partnership with American companies and its US employees," the company's statement said.

From Barron's ● Sep. 8, 2026

Bombardier also touted a “direct employment presence in more than 20 states,” including a facility in Red Oak, Texas, and another in Los Angeles, plus plans for a new facility in Fort Wayne, Ind.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 8, 2026

"Just then Bombardier Cassell cut in on the wire: "'General's compliments to Captain A—.

From Over the Top by Arthur Guy Empey

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