heavier-than-air

[hev-ee-er-thuhn-air]

adjective

1. (of an aircraft) weighing more than the air that it displaces, hence having to obtain lift by aerodynamic means.

heavier-than-air

adjective

1. having a density greater than that of air

2. of or relating to an aircraft that does not depend on buoyancy for support but gains lift from aerodynamic forces

Word History and Origins

Origin of heavier-than-air¹

First recorded in 1900–05