airship

[air-ship]

See more synonyms for airship on Thesaurus.com

noun

a self-propelled, lighter-than-air aircraft with means of controlling the direction of flight; dirigible.

Compare blimp.

Origin of airship

1810–20, for an earlier sense; air¹ + ship¹

air-ship

[air-ship]

verb (used with object), air-shipped, air-ship·ping.

to send or ship via aircraft: to air-ship machine parts overseas.

Origin of air-ship

First recorded in 1950–1955

Related formsair-ship·pa·ble, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for airship

Contemporary Examples

The fire appeared on the tail of the airship, igniting the leaking hydrogen.
Did Static Electricity Spark the Hindenburg Explosion?
Justin Green
March 4, 2013
The airship had become charged with static as a result of an electrical storm.
Did Static Electricity Spark the Hindenburg Explosion?
Justin Green
March 4, 2013

Historical Examples

Who is going to say whether an applicant is competent to pilot a balloon or airship?
Flying Machines
W.J. Jackman and Thos. H. Russell
There has not yet been much opportunity to test the airship in actual warfare.
Flying Machines
W.J. Jackman and Thos. H. Russell
"If you're sure you're not hurt by the airship smash, I will," declared the lad.
Tom Swift and his Electric Runabout
Victor Appleton
Commercial development of the airplane and the airship commenced after the war.
The Age of Invention
Holland Thompson
It was not the airship raids from which these crowds were fleeing.
Astounding Stories of Super-Science, October, 1930
Various

British Dictionary definitions for airship

airship

noun

a lighter-than-air self-propelled craftAlso called: dirigible, zeppelin

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

Word Origin and History for airship

n.

also air-ship, 1888, translating German Luftschiff "motor-driver dirigible;" see air (n.1) + ship (n.).

airship

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}airship

air-ship

Origin of air-ship

Related Words

Examples from the Web for airship

Contemporary Examples

The fire appeared on the tail of the airship, igniting the leaking hydrogen.

The airship had become charged with static as a result of an electrical storm.

Historical Examples

Who is going to say whether an applicant is competent to pilot a balloon or airship?

There has not yet been much opportunity to test the airship in actual warfare.

"If you're sure you're not hurt by the airship smash, I will," declared the lad.

Commercial development of the airplane and the airship commenced after the war.

It was not the airship raids from which these crowds were fleeing.

airship

Word Origin and History for airship

n.

Origin of airship