bombardier

[ bom-ber-deer, -buh- ]
See synonyms for bombardier on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. Military. the member of a bombing plane crew who operates the bombsight and bomb-release mechanism.

  2. History/Historical. artilleryman.

Origin of bombardier

1
From Middle French, dating back to 1550–60; see origin at bombard, -ier2

Words Nearby bombardier

Other definitions for Bombardier (2 of 2)

Bombardier
[ bom-ber-deer, -buh-, bom-bahr-dyey ]

Trademark, Canadian.
  1. a snowmobilelike vehicle driven by an internal-combustion engine, equipped with caterpillar tracks at the rear, steered by skis at the front, and designed for travel over snow.

Origin of Bombardier

2
First recorded in 1945–50; after Canadian inventor and industrialist Armand Bombardier (died 1964), who designed it

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use bombardier in a sentence

  • They were crouching in one of the gun-pits—a bombardier and three gunners, very cold and very miserable.

    Servants of the Guns | Jeffery E. Jeffery
  • Fig. 508 presents Calosoma sycophanta pursuing a bombardier (Brachinus explodens), which squirts out a vapour of pungent odour.

    The Insect World | Louis Figuier
  • bombardier Havelock was wounded in the thigh by fragments of shell.

    Lest We Forget | John Gilbert Thompson
  • Pickersdyke swore as he had not done since he was a rough-riding bombardier.

    Servants of the Guns | Jeffery E. Jeffery
  • He had made himself one moment of leisure, and visited bombardier Lane, but without result.

British Dictionary definitions for bombardier (1 of 2)

bombardier

/ (ˌbɒmbəˈdɪə) /


noun
  1. the member of a bomber aircrew responsible for aiming and releasing the bombs

  2. British a noncommissioned rank below the rank of sergeant in the Royal Artillery

  1. Also called: bombardier beetle any of various small carabid beetles of the genus Brachinus, esp B. crepitans of Europe, which defend themselves by ejecting a jet of volatile fluid

Origin of bombardier

1
C16: from Old French: one directing a bombard; see bombard

British Dictionary definitions for Bombardier (2 of 2)

Bombardier

/ (ˌbɒmbəˈdɪə) /


noun
  1. trademark Canadian a snow tractor, typically having caterpillar tracks at the rear and skis at the front

Origin of Bombardier

2
C20: named after J. A. Bombardier, Canadian inventor and manufacturer

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012