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

Dissenting in Massachusetts, Justice Antonin Scalia wrote that from the court’s reasoning, “it follows that everything airborne, from Frisbees to flatulence, qualifies as an ‘air pollutant.’

From The Wall Street Journal

They barely show up on radar and soar high above electronic-warfare transmissions that fry other airborne devices.

From The Wall Street Journal

Old-school solutions are sometimes required to help the high-tech devices stay airborne.

From Barron's

The Bath wing copped a first unfortunate yellow card for not releasing the tackled man and then a clumsy second, blundering into an airborne Kyle Steyn.

From BBC

Even though he didn’t have any real incentive to attempt such a risky move, Malinin was quickly airborne.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• aerial
• floating
• soaring