helicopter
Americannoun
-
helicopters
plural
verb (used without object)
-
helicopters,
present (3rd person singular)
-
helicoptered,
past participle, past
-
helicoptering
present participle
verb (used with object)
-
helicopters,
present (3rd person singular)
-
helicoptered,
past participle, past
-
helicoptering
present participle
noun
verb
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
helicoptersimple
-
helicopterssimple
-
have helicopteredperfect
-
has helicopteredperfect
-
am helicopteringprogressive
-
are helicopteringprogressive
-
is helicopteringprogressive
-
have been helicopteringperfect progressive
-
has been helicopteringperfect progressive
Past
-
helicopteredsimple
-
had helicopteredperfect
-
was helicopteringprogressive
-
were helicopteringprogressive
-
had been helicopteringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of helicopter
From the French word hélicoptère, dating back to 1885–90. See helico-, -pter
Explanation
A helicopter is a flying vehicle with a system of rotors that lift and propel it. In some cities, police officers patrol in helicopters. In some suburbs, wealthy people even commute by helicopter. Like airplanes, helicopters travel through the air — but unlike airplanes, they don't have wings. Most helicopters have a large rotor blade on top that creates lift by spinning rapidly. Smaller rotors help the helicopter move and steer. Hospitals use helicopters for transporting patients in crisis, for whom an ambulance might not move fast enough. The word comes from Greek roots, helix, "spiral," and pteron, "wing."
Vocabulary lists containing helicopter
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.
See Examples For:
Those who were pulled from the water were flown by helicopter to San Diego, where they were taken via ambulance to local hospitals.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
Another defector, Russian army pilot Maksim Kuzminov, had flown his Mi-8 attack helicopter into Ukraine the previous year and turned it over to Kyiv for a $500,000 reward.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
The bus driver and one passenger were severely injured and evacuated by helicopter.
From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026
The hackers tracked a Russian military helicopter to a location near a local airport where they discovered a previously unknown Russian air base.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 11, 2026
When the second helicopter arrived, it managed to perch shakily on a one-lane bridge while a rescue crew jumped to the ground.
From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone
San Clemente Mayor Rick Loeffler said his city has been preparing ahead of fire season, deploying goats to chomp at brush on hillsides and ensuring a steady water supply is available for crews and helicopters.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026
The fast-moving blaze prompted widespread evacuation orders as multiple helicopters vied to douse the flames.
From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2026
Police did not specify what ride was involved, but aerial footage from news helicopters showed the Goliath rollercoaster stopped midway, with riders being helped off by workers.
From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026
Several ambulances and a few helicopters were sent to collect the wounded and take them to King Fahad hospital in Riyadh, one of the officials said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 10, 2026
First Venus, then Roald, got into rescue helicopters flown by volunteers from Weyerhaeuser and were taken to a nearby hospital.
From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone
Many have been helicoptered out of the districts of Manang and Mustang, from a hiking circuit that usually takes up to three weeks to complete.
From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026
Mass opposition and a coup briefly deposed him, but after three days under guard on a military island, he helicoptered back to Caracas.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 10, 2026
Instead, they recommended that Nusslock be helicoptered to UC San Francisco for an abortion.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2024
On the couple’s 10-year anniversary, they helicoptered to the emperor penguin colony on Snow Hill Island, then to a tubular iceberg where the client finally proposed.
From Washington Post ● Feb. 14, 2023
We next boarded a small Air Force plane, flew to JFK Airport, and were then helicoptered into Manhattan.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
Wainschel, a vice president at an automotive marketing technology company, says he doesn’t think his outreach qualifies as helicoptering.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026
After helicoptering to the compound in Pakistan, O’Neill said he and other SEALs reached a third-floor bedroom where bin Laden was.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 12, 2023
He tumbled out of bounds at nearly 60 miles per hour, his skis helicoptering into the netting on one side of the slope.
From New York Times ● Dec. 5, 2021
“Your moral stature is actually enhanced the more persecuted you are or want to be. It’s a generation of overparenting, protecting children from every conceivable harm, helicoptering over them and infantilizing them.”
From Washington Times ● Oct. 18, 2021
A few fall, helicoptering down to the forest floor.
From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz
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