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  • aero
    aero
    adjective
    of or for aircraft.
  • aero-
    aero-
    a combining form meaning “air,” used in formation of compound words.
  • aero.
    aero.
    abbreviation
    aeronautic; aeronautical.

aero

1 American  
[air-oh] / ˈɛər oʊ /

adjective

  1. of or for aircraft.

  2. of or relating to aeronautics.


aero- 2 American  
  1. a combining form meaning “air,” used in formation of compound words.

    aerodrome.


aero. 3 American  

abbreviation

  1. aeronautic; aeronautical.

  2. aeronautics.

  3. aerospace.


aero- 1 British  

combining form

  1. denoting air, atmosphere, or gas

    aerodynamics

  2. denoting aircraft

    aeronautics

"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

aero 2 British  
/ ˈɛərəʊ /

noun

  1. (modifier) of or relating to aircraft or aeronautics

    an aero 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

aero 3 British  

abbreviation

  1. an organization in the air-transport industry

"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

Usage

What does aero- mean? Aero- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “air.” It is often used in scientific terms, especially in biology. Aero- comes from Greek āḗr, meaning “air.”What are variants of aero-?When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, aero- becomes aer-, as in aerate. When combined with word elements of Latin origin, aero- becomes aeri-, as in aeriferous. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use articles for aer- and aeri-.

Etymology

Origin of aero1

1895–1900; aero- used as free form

Origin of aero-2

< Greek, equivalent to āer- (stem of āḗr air 1 ) + -o- -o-

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:

Air Force veteran who graduated from Colorado State University and held a master’s degree in aero science technology from the University of Tennessee Space Institute, according to his family.

From Los Angeles Times Jun. 17, 2026

In fact, a number of gains are to be had by deleting the backlight, starting with greater aero efficiency—critical, since the Polestar 4 is all-electric, and aero drag is the mortal enemy of range.

From The Wall Street Journal Apr. 25, 2026

“We see further aero outperformance on strong relative earnings per share growth that more than offsets potential valuation downside,” he wrote.

From Barron's Apr. 1, 2026

Are the moveable aero parts disabled in wet conditions?

From BBC Mar. 3, 2026

The negotiations with Hanley had come through satisfactorily; to De Boer, certainly, for he was in a triumphant mood as they cast off the aero and we rose over the mist-hung depths.

From Astounding Stories of Super-Science, November, 1930 by Various

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