bombardier

¹ American  

[bom-ber-deer, -buh-] / ˌbɒm bərˈdɪər, -bə- /

noun

1. Military. the member of a bombing plane crew who operates the bombsight and bomb-release mechanism.

2. History/Historical. artilleryman.

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Bombardier ² American  

[bom-ber-deer, -buh-, bom-bahr-dyey] / ˌbɒm bərˈdɪər, -bə-, ˌbɒm bɑrˈdyeɪ /

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.

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bombardier ¹ British  

/ ˌbɒmbəˈdɪə /

noun

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

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

3. 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

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Bombardier ² British  

/ ˌbɒmbəˈdɪə /

noun

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

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Etymology

Origin of bombardier¹

From Middle French, dating back to 1550–60; see origin at bombard, -ier ²

Origin of Bombardier²

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

Example Sentences

Mr Cattini landed on Gold Beach on D-Day as a bombardier in the 86th Field Regiment of the Hertfordshire Yeomanry.

From BBC • May 19, 2023

Charles V. Carlson, a badly wounded bombardier whose B-17 Flying Fortress had been shot down over Stambruges, Belgium, in October 1943.

From Washington Post • Feb. 24, 2022

His bombardier and first real friend in the service, Danny Shapiro, was later shot down on another plane and held as a prisoner of war for a year.

From New York Times • Dec. 17, 2021

However, 1945 was the last time he flew bombardier for the U.S.

From Fox News • Sep. 16, 2021

“I said he’s the best damned bombardier we’ve got, didn’t I?”

From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller