aerial ladder

American

noun

an extensible ladder used for reaching heights, especially from a hook-and-ladder truck.

aerial ladder British

noun

Also called: turntable ladder. a power-operated extending ladder mounted on a fire engine

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

aerial ladder

A third firefighter was injured by what he said felt like an electric shock while he was on an aerial ladder spraying water onto the building.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2026

Lines said the fire service used an aerial ladder to free the passengers one-by-one.

From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2026

A swift-water rescue team deployed a helicopter, lowered inflated firehoses and positioned an aerial ladder to allow responders to secure the man and bring him to safety before transporting him to a hospital for evaluation.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 4, 2026

Fire crews were unable to use their aerial ladder to deal with the blaze because it was not safe to do so in the stormy weather.

From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2024

The developers have also agreed to provide funding for an aerial ladder truck for the Yucaipa Fire Department, he said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2024

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023