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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-dyey] / 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

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

The military was going to make him a bombardier.

From "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand

When Bond begins flying domestically and internationally next year, it will have 18 Bombardier jets in operation—a number that is meant to grow to 120.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026

The factories also produce components for Dassault and Bombardier business jets and ATR turboprops.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026

Lance Bombardier Ciara Sullivan should been riding this year in Trooping the Colour.

From BBC ● Jun. 13, 2026

The company’s website states that the Garden Grove facility manufactures F-35 canopies, as well as transparent windows for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and 737, the Airbus A350, HondaJet and Bombardier C-Series.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 28, 2026

Brettschneider again and in a louder tone commanded: "Bombardier Vogt, straighten your knees!"

From Jena or Sedan? by Franz Beyerlein