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Synonyms

aircraft carrier

American  

noun

aircraft carriers plural
  1. a warship equipped with a large open deck for the taking off and landing of warplanes and with facilities to carry, service, and arm them.


aircraft carrier British  

noun

  1. a warship built with an extensive flat deck space for the launch and recovery of aircraft

"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

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of aircraft carrier

First recorded in 1915–20

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.

The Russian Bear-F plane passed at low altitude and "unnecessarily close" to the HMS Prince of Wales aircraft carrier and is believed to have dropped 10 sonobuoys into the water on Thursday, the MoD added.

From BBC • Jul. 6, 2026

The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford was deployed for nearly a year, a dubious post-Vietnam record.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 25, 2026

He had hatched an idea with Brownies & Lemonade, which was known for hosting famous DJs in anomalous places: inside the elevator at United Talent Agency, in a USS aircraft carrier.

From Slate • Jun. 25, 2026

The French wanted a "small, light fighter" that could take off from its Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier, whereas the Germans wanted a bigger jet that could offer "air superiority", said Rusi's Christoph Bergs.

From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026

Now they’re on the aircraft carrier in Virginia.

From "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline

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