aviator
Americannoun
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aviators
plural
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a pilot of an airplane or other heavier-than-air aircraft.
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aviators, aviator glasses.
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of aviator
1885–90; < French aviateur. See aviation ( def. ), -eur ( def. )
Explanation
An aviator is a pilot. Every aircraft you see in the sky has an aviator in it. Aviation is the science that makes airplanes and other vehicles that fly through the air. An aviator is someone who flies one of those vehicles. This is kind of an old-fashioned word: these days, you're much more likely to hear aviators referred to as pilots. Some aviators work for airlines, while others own private planes. Helicopters and blimps have aviators too.
Vocabulary lists containing aviator
July Words
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A Farewell To Arms
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They Both Die at the End
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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.
See Examples For:
With her iconic aviator sunglasses and long, blonde streaked hair - which she considered rebellious in the 1970s - Steinem was an internationally recognised activist in the fight for women's equality.
From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026
In addition to her highly public activism, Steinem’s signature style, defined by her large aviator glasses and long hair, made her a sought-after TV guest star and documentary interview.
From Salon ● Sep. 3, 2026
A few months later, the celebrated aviator Charles Lindbergh made camp in Lebec to test a glider in the mountain drafts.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 1, 2026
Pitbull fans swarm his shows wearing bald caps and aviator sunglasses, a nod to the hairless rapper’s signature look.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
Grinning, I tried to picture her with an aviator hat and imagined her still wearing her ginormous flower poking out the side.
From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas
That has prompted concerns that aviators could hide symptoms and avoid seeking help.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
The US National Agricultural Aviation Association, which represents crop dusting pilots, says small uncrewed aircraft can be hard for its aviators to see.
From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026
Kush Desai, a White House spokesman, told AFP "Marine One flights are piloted by some of the best aviators in the world, and at no point was the president in harm's way."
From Barron's ● Aug. 5, 2026
Their families all paid tribute, while the military described them as "deeply capable and professional aviators" and "cherished members" of the Commando Helicopter Force.
From BBC ● Jun. 4, 2026
Without a doubt, the most intense wartime relationships formed by any of Marina Raskova’s aviators were the bonds formed by a flight crew in combat.
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.
