airworthy

American

[air-wur-thee] / ˈɛərˌwɜr ði /

adjective

airworthier, airworthiest

(of an aircraft) meeting established standards for safe flight; equipped and maintained in condition to fly.

airworthy British

/ ˈɛəˌwɜːðɪ /

adjective

(of an aircraft) safe to fly

"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

Etymology

Origin of airworthy

First recorded in 1820–30; air ¹ + -worthy

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.

See Examples For:

airworthy

A representative designated by the Federal Aviation Administration has to give the OK that the plane is airworthy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 11, 2026

The total number of registered airworthy aircraft has tripled since the 1980s, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 5, 2025

Only a few dozen airworthy Spitfires remain, including six that belong to the BBMF.

From BBC ● May 26, 2024

Several travelers are suing Boeing for failing to ensure that the airplane was airworthy.

From Slate ● Feb. 6, 2024

Without wings or control surfaces, it is obviously not airworthy.

From By Proxy by Dongen, H. R. van

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023