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.

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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

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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

Example Sentences

Aivar Hanniotti, an Estonian Defense League unmanned aerial systems coordinator, led an adversary unit of about 100 that included Estonians and Ukrainians.

From The Wall Street Journal

Looking down into the atrium outside his office, you see a large carpet woven to look like an aerial photograph of bomb-ravaged Berlin at the end of World War II.

From The Wall Street Journal

The team combined satellite measurements of ocean surface temperatures from the Coral Reef Watch system with on site reef surveys and aerial observations collected worldwide.

From Science Daily

In moguls, athletes navigate a steep course full of bumps, combining technical turns, jumps, aerial manoeuvres, and speed.

From Barron's

An acrobatic closing section featuring a backflip, aerial twist and a one-armed cartwheel captivated the crowd, who cheered wildly.

From Barron's