aviation
Americannoun
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the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft.
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military aircraft.
noun
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the art or science of flying aircraft
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the design, production, and maintenance of aircraft
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military aircraft collectively
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of aviation
From French, dating back to 1865–70; see origin at avi-, -ation
Explanation
If it has to do with flying or operating a plane, it has to do with aviation. If someone tells you that he's in aviation school, that means he is learning how to fly a plane. Aviation comes from the Latin avis meaning "bird," an appropriate translation given that aviation deals with travel by air, specifically in a plane. The aviation industry is the business sector dedicated to manufacturing and operating all types of aircraft. Air traffic controllers, when they are awake, are concerned with aviation safety.
Vocabulary lists containing aviation
Flying High: Aviation Words
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The Cay
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November Words
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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.
“We will be deploying drone mitigation and interception teams with capabilities to detect, track and assess unauthorized drone activity that threatens aviation safety or the public around venues at major events,” Grandy said.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 1, 2026
Under international aviation rules, final reports are generally expected within a year.
From BBC • Jun. 1, 2026
The early May meeting reflected tensions that often flare up over safety improvements following aviation tragedies.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 31, 2026
"The current crisis is a wake-up call regarding Europe's energy independence," said Ourania Georgoutsakou, managing director of Airlines for Europe, a civil aviation lobby group.
From Barron's • May 31, 2026
Lera, in parachute and aviation googles, is smiling broadly, and the caption beneath the photo says that “she is now a fighter pilot” who had shot down a Luftwaffe bomber.
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.
