aviator
Americannoun
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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.
The recall covers certain Expedition, Navigator, Explorer, Aviator, F-150 models from 2018 to 2021.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 30, 2026
The actress, who has won two Oscars for her roles in The Aviator and Blue Jasmine, said she thought AI advancements were "experimentation for its own sake".
From BBC • Nov. 30, 2024
I glance at her outfit — an Aviator Nation hoodie, beanie, jeans, athletic slides over socks — trying to ascertain what she might propose.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 30, 2023
Aviator sunglasses usually cover her eyes; bold rings cover her fingers.
From New York Times • Oct. 20, 2023
In the first volume of this series, entitled: "Dave Dashaway, the Young Aviator; Or, In the Clouds for Fame and Fortune," the career of Dave Dashaway has been told.
From Dave Dashaway and His Hydroplane by Rockwood, Roy
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.
