helicopter

[ hel-i-kop-ter, hee-li- ]
/ ˈhɛl ɪˌkɒp tər, ˈhi lɪ- /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR helicopter ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

any of a class of heavier-than-air craft that are lifted and sustained in the air horizontally by rotating wings or blades turning on vertical axes through power supplied by an engine.

verb (used without object)

to fly in a helicopter.

verb (used with object)

to convey in a helicopter.

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Origin of helicopter

From the French word hélicoptère, dating back to 1885–90. See helico-, -pter

Words nearby helicopter

helicoid, helicoid cyme, helicon, helicopod gait, helicopt, helicopter, helicopter gunship, helicopter parent, helicopter parenting, helicopter view, helicospore
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Content related to helicopter

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Words related to helicopter

chopper, eggbeater, autogiro, whirlybird, copter

Example sentences from the Web for helicopter

British Dictionary definitions for helicopter

helicopter
/ (ˈhɛlɪˌkɒptə) /

noun

an aircraft capable of hover, vertical flight, and horizontal flight in any direction. Most get all of their lift and propulsion from the rotation of overhead bladesSee also autogiro

verb

to transport (people or things) or (of people or things) to be transported by helicopter

Word Origin for helicopter

C19: from French hélicoptère, from helico- + Greek pteron wing
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