autogiro

American  

[aw-tuh-jahy-roh] / ˌɔ təˈdʒaɪ roʊ /

Or autogyro

noun

plural

autogiros

1. an aircraft with an unpowered, horizontally rotating propeller on a shaft above the fuselage that provides lift for the machine, with forward propulsion being provided by a conventional propeller: superseded in most applications by the helicopter.

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autogiro British  

/ ˌɔːtəʊˈdʒaɪrəʊ /

noun

1. Also called: gyroplane.  a self-propelled aircraft supported in flight mainly by unpowered rotating horizontal blades Compare helicopter

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Etymology

Origin of autogiro

First recorded in 1920–25; formerly a trademark

Example Sentences

Stuffed with sumo wrestling; trap doors; an autogiro equipped with flamethrowers and missiles; a piranha pool; and, of course, a rocket base hidden inside a volcano, “You Only Live Twice” wasn’t exactly an actor’s breakthrough.

From New York Times • Oct. 31, 2020

As the propeller motor pulls the autogiro across a flying field the forward motion sets the vanes revolving swiftly, like a great pinwheel.

From Time Magazine Archive

City officials first gave the park a thorough DDT spraying by autogiro, then counted the survivors.

From Time Magazine Archive

President Harold F. Pitcairn of Pitcairn Aviation, Inc., has found such promise in Juan de la Cierva's Autogiro that last week he organized Pitcairn-Cierva Autogiro Co. of America to develop the autogiro in this country.

From Time Magazine Archive

When Inventor Edison saw and applauded the Pitcairn-Cierva autogiro at Newark last September many guessed, because it was only his second visit to any airport, that he had little knowledge of aeronautics.

From Time Magazine Archive

Related Words

• chopper