aerial

American  

[air-ee-uhl, ey-eer-ee-uhl, air-ee-uhl] / ˈɛər i əl, eɪˈɪər i əl, ˈɛər i əl /

adjective

1. of, in, or produced by the air.

   aerial currents.

2. inhabiting or frequenting the air.

   aerial creatures.

3. operating on a track or cable elevated above the ground.

   an aerial ski lift up the mountainside.

4. reaching far into the air; high; lofty.

   aerial spires.

5. partaking of the nature of air; airy.

6. unsubstantial; visionary.

   aerial fancies.

7. having a light and graceful beauty; ethereal.

   aerial music.

8. Biology. growing in the air, as the adventitious roots of some trees.

9. pertaining to or used for, against, or in aircraft.

10. supplied or performed by means of aircraft.

    aerial support; aerial reconnaissance.

---

noun

1. a radio or television antenna.

2. Football. forward pass.

aerial British  

/ ˈɛərɪəl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or resembling air

2. existing, occurring, moving, or operating in the air

   aerial cable car

   aerial roots of a plant

3. ethereal; light and delicate

4. imaginary; visionary

5. extending high into the air; lofty

6. of or relating to aircraft

   aerial combat

---

noun

1. Also called: antenna.  the part of a radio or television system having any of various shapes, such as a dipole, Yagi, long-wire, or vertical aerial, by means of which radio waves are transmitted or received

Other Word Forms

• aerially
  adverb
• aerialness
  noun
• superaerial
  adjective
• superaerially
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of aerial

1595–1605; 1900–05 aerial for def. 11; < Latin āeri ( us ) of the air (< Greek āérios, equivalent to āer- (stem of āḗr air ¹ ) + -ios adj. suffix) + -al ¹

Explanation

Things that are aerial are happening in the air: birds, planes, and missiles are all aerial things. When talking about things that are literally up in the air, you can use the word aerial. If a country sends planes to bomb another country, that's an aerial attack. In football, the passing game is called the aerial game. Anything light and airy can also be called aerial, and an aerial is a device that picks up radio or TV signals: it plucks them out of the air. So when you see the word aerial, just think "air."

Example Sentences

Called Star-Bound, the drone show features up to 1,000 purpose-built drones in an aerial display lasting up to 12 minutes.

From BBC • May 26, 2026

"The air defence forces are responsible for protecting the skies over the holy sites and dealing with all aerial threats, ensuring the safety and peace of mind of the guests," read the post.

From Barron's • May 25, 2026

“The RSF can’t project force any other way right now, so they’re lobbing drones like aerial IEDs,” said Nathaniel Raymond, executive director of the Humanitarian Research Lab at the Yale School of Public Health.

From Los Angeles Times • May 24, 2026

A total of nine pumping appliances, an aerial appliance, high volume pump and 60 firefighters are engaged in the firefighting operations.

From BBC • May 24, 2026

But using her hands as planes, Lilya was able to describe the maneuvering of their aerial dogfight blow by blow, and the German pilot had to admit that this novice fighter had defeated him.

From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein