flying machine

American  

noun

1. a vehicle that sustains itself in and propels itself through the air; an airplane, helicopter, glider, or the like.

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Etymology

Origin of flying machine

First recorded in 1730–40

Example Sentences

Yet in some ways, Pivotal’s technology is even more audacious, in that it puts a human pilot—potentially a squirmy, Earth-hugging rookie like me—squarely into the control loop of a flying machine.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 17, 2025

The challenge for any new flying machine such as Eve or the HX50 is to win regulatory approval says Mr Twidell.

From BBC • Jan. 25, 2024

Last year, that slot was occupied by the lean, mean flying machine “Plane,” starring Gerard Butler.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 11, 2024

Even Orville and Wilbur Wright flipped a coin to see who got the lone seat on their flying machine.

From Washington Times • Oct. 19, 2023

It was not until a few years later, when they flew their flying machine in another demon land—France, I think—that demons accepted flight as a fact.

From "Dragonwings" by Laurence Yep