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aerospace

American  
[air-oh-speys] / ˈɛər oʊˌspeɪs /

noun

  1. the atmosphere and the space beyond considered as a whole.

  2. the industry concerned with the design and manufacture of aircraft, rockets, missiles, spacecraft, etc., that operate in aerospace.


adjective

  1. of or relating to aerospace or the aerospace industry.

aerospace British  
/ ˈɛərəˌspeɪs /

noun

  1. the atmosphere and space beyond

  2. (modifier) of or relating to rockets, missiles, space vehicles, etc, that fly or operate in aerospace

    the aerospace 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

aerospace Scientific  
/ ârō-spās′ /
  1. Relating to the Earth's atmosphere and the space beyond.

  2. Relating to the science and technology of flight and space travel.


Etymology

Origin of aerospace

First recorded in 1955–60; aero- + space

Explanation

The science of airplanes and rockets is known as aerospace. If you're interested in launching rockets or building jets, you should consider a career in aerospace. The term aerospace was coined in the U.S. during the mid-20th century, from aeronautics, the study of planes and other flying machines, and spaceflight. The aerospace industry includes a lot of flying craft, including commercial airplanes, unpowered gliders, military jets, missiles, and space shuttles. Aerospace engineers design these vehicles and develop ways to make them safer and more efficient, as well as testing and maintaining them.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing aerospace

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:

The advance could eventually make the alloy, which is widely used in aerospace applications and may have uses in other industries, printable on more common commercial equipment.

From Science Daily Aug. 27, 2026

Because GRCop-42 has high thermal conductivity while maintaining its strength at extreme temperatures, it is used in aerospace systems, including liquid rocket engine combustion chambers.

From Science Daily Aug. 27, 2026

US aerospace start-up Whisper Aero is one of those firms.

From BBC Aug. 20, 2026

The IPO market has been heating back up after a mostly quiet stretch, driven by demand in industries such as AI, aerospace and defense.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 17, 2026

Thirty-six years old, an aerospace engineer by training, he was a quiet, thoughtful, extremely conscientious guide who was well liked by most members of his team and Hall’s.

From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer

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