glider

American  

[glahy-der] / ˈglaɪ dər /

noun

gliders plural

1. a motorless, heavier-than-air aircraft for gliding from a higher to a lower level by the action of gravity or from a lower to a higher level by the action of air currents.

2. a porch swing made of an upholstered seat suspended from a steel framework by links or springs.

3. a person or thing that glides.

4. a person who pilots a glider.

---

glider British  

/ ˈɡlaɪdə /

noun

1. an aircraft capable of gliding and soaring in air currents without the use of an engine See also sailplane

2. a person or thing that glides

3. another name for flying phalanger

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• gliders
  plural

Etymology

Origin of glider

late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; see origin at glide, -er ¹

Example Sentences

The startup builds drones and other defense systems, developing products such as Viper, its vertical-takeoff strike vehicle; Glide, its high-altitude glider capable of launching weapons; and Stratos, its airborne satellite platform for surveillance.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 3, 2026

The second species is the ring-tailed glider, and just like its Australian cousin the greater glider, it lives in the hollows of tall trees.

From BBC • Mar. 6, 2026

In Salem: In the original “Thomas Crown Affair,” a stuntman for Steve McQueen takes an acrobatic thrill ride in a glider to the film’s title track, “The Windmills of Your Mind.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 16, 2026

In the dark waters off the west coast of Scotland, a slender submarine glider, like a torpedo with wings, slips under the surface and quickly disappears off into the murk.

From BBC • Dec. 7, 2025

They’re sitting on their porch glider in the dark, and they’re staring up at the sky.

From "Merci Suárez Changes Gears" by Meg Medina