aviation

[ey-vee-ey-shuhn, av-ee-]

noun

1. the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft.

2. military aircraft.

aviation

/ ˌeɪvɪˈeɪʃən /

noun

1. 1. the art or science of flying aircraft

   2. the design, production, and maintenance of aircraft

2. military aircraft collectively

Other Word Forms

• aviatic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of aviation¹

From French, dating back to 1865–70; avi-, -ation

Word History and Origins

Origin of aviation¹

C19: from French, from Latin avis bird

Example Sentences

But the bigger obstacle may be Saudi Arabia’s links to China, said Richard Aboulafia, managing director of AeroDynamic Advisory and an aviation analyst.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"TAP Air Portugal is of great strategic importance to the European aviation industry... with our extensive investments in Portugal, we continue to see the Lufthansa Group as the best partner for TAP and for Portugal."

Read more on Barron's

The model now providing depoliticized ATC in nearly 100 countries is an aviation public utility, funded entirely by system fees and charges.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

It underwrites a swath of specialized risks, including for natural disasters, shipping, aviation and cyberattacks.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Suddenly there was a demand for faster planes; however, the war made clear the reality that the nation had fallen behind Europe in aviation.

Read more on Literature

Related Words

• aeronautics 
• navigation