chairborne

American

[chair-bawrn, -bohrn] / ˈtʃɛərˌbɔrn, -ˌboʊrn /

adjective

(of military, especially Air Force, personnel) having a desk job rather than a field or combat assignment.

chairborne British

/ ˈtʃɛəˌbɔːn /

adjective

informal having an administrative or desk job rather than a more active one

"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

Etymology

Origin of chairborne

1940–45; blend of chair and airborne

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 Pentagon admits that three divisions are being created by using formerly chairborne soldiers, but denies that they are intended for any such specific duty.

From Time Magazine Archive

His chairborne specialties: contract termination, the Navy's rejuvenated inspection system, the new Office of Naval Research, and the important new Interdepartmental Committee on Atomic Energy.

From Time Magazine Archive

Barrientos sleeps only four hours a night, starts work at 7 a.m. and is incapable of being chairborne for very long.

From Time Magazine Archive

Instead of trying to correct the deficiencies that show up in the prototypes, British aircraft "boffins," i.e., chairborne scientists, try to cover up to save costly redesigning.

From Time Magazine Archive

What did that chairborne brass hat know about space cafard?

From Medal of Honor by Bernklau

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023