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
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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:
A team of researchers have arrived at a remote island to inspect possible plane wreckage of famed aviator Amelia Earhart, who vanished in 1937 while flying around the world.
From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026
“It’s too much input. That’s why Jeff wears the Spider-Man goggles,” he adds, referring to the ELO frontman’s ever-present aviator shades.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 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
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, a French aviator and writer, explored love, loneliness and friendship through a fabulous tale for children that appealed to many adults as well.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
Huddled next to it was a dejected-looking boy in tattered jeans, a black shirt, and an old aviator jacket.
From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan
The segment, which aired on Sunday, is the first time one of the aviators involved in the April incident over Iran has spoken out about their ordeal.
From BBC ● Sep. 14, 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
But usually its researchers are looking for a single person or a small crew, such as aviators who went down with their aircraft.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
His son, Ian, said "It is a fitting tribute not only to my father's pioneering achievements, but also to the generations of engineers, designers and aviators who helped shape Britain's world-leading contribution to aviation."
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
Mankind, by its nature, produced infantrymen and Bull approved that the grunts of the world could not enter into the language of aviators.
From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
