aircraft
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of aircraft
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How does aircraft compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
A machine that can fly, held aloft in the air, is called an aircraft. Airplanes and helicopters are two types of aircraft. Some aircraft, such as helicopters, fly by using rotary wings — spinning blades that directly generate lift. Airplanes use engines to turn propellers or power gas turbines, providing the thrust needed to move air over their wings and create lift. Still other aircraft, including hot-air balloons, achieve lift through buoyancy, by using gases that are lighter than the surrounding air. Balloons and airships, including blimps and dirigibles, were actually the first vehicles referred to as aircraft, a term adapted from nautical terminology.
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 Apache helicopter is the second crewed aircraft that Washington has confirmed was shot down by Iran during the war, following the loss of an F-15 fighter plane in April.
From Barron's • Jun. 10, 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
And at a press conference on the shortage of non-fossil fuels needed to decarbonise air travel, EU regulations on the minimum amounts of such fuels required in aircraft tanks came under fire.
From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026
But in order to fly large aircraft such as the A320neo - an updated version of the Airbus A320 - a more shallow flight approach is needed, according to the airport.
From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026
She was an inexperienced pilot in an unfamiliar aircraft, and she knew her limits.
From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
