airborne

American  

[air-bawrn, -bohrn] / ˈɛərˌbɔrn, -ˌboʊrn /

adjective

1. carried by the air, as pollen or dust.

2. in flight; aloft.

   The plane was airborne by six o'clock.

3. Military. (of ground forces) carried in airplanes or gliders: abn

   airborne infantry.

4. Aeronautics. (of an aircraft) supported entirely by the atmosphere; flying.

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airborne British  

/ ˈɛəˌbɔːn /

adjective

1. conveyed by or through the air

2. (of aircraft) flying; in the air

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Etymology

Origin of airborne

First recorded in 1635–45; air ¹ + borne ¹

Example Sentences

Arctic ice impedes airborne submarine detection that works in other oceans.

From The Wall Street Journal

Karl, then a fit but slightly built teenager, needed several attempts to pass P Company, the pre-parachute selection and training unit of the British Army's airborne force.

From BBC

Yet the glass fiber filters used to trap airborne particles also preserved traces of DNA from pollen, spores, and other microscopic biological material.

From Science Daily

Fabbri describes pterosaurs as powerful airborne predators of the dinosaur era, capable of reaching 500 pounds in some species and stretching up to 30 feet across the wings.

From Science Daily

Mr Stacey told the inquest into Mr Price's death, that the Toyota and Ford both became airborne before other vehicles struck them.

From BBC

Related Words

• aerial
• floating
• soaring