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hydroplane

[hahy-druh-pleyn]
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noun
  1. a seaplane.
  2. an attachment to an airplane enabling it to glide on the water.
  3. a light, high-powered boat, especially one with hydrofoils or a stepped bottom, designed to plane along the surface of the water at very high speeds.
  4. a horizontal rudder for submerging or elevating a submarine.
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verb (used without object), hy·dro·planed, hy·dro·plan·ing.
  1. to skim over water in the manner of a hydroplane.
  2. to travel in a hydroplane.
  3. Also aquaplane. (of a vehicular tire or vehicle) to ride on a film of water on a wet surface with a resulting decrease in braking and steering effectiveness.
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Origin of hydroplane

First recorded in 1900–05; hydro-1 + plane1
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

hydrofoilhydroplanespeedboat

Examples from the Web for hydroplane

Historical Examples

  • Speed boat hulls are usually of the hydroplane or sea-sled type.

    Boys' Book of Model Boats

    Raymond Francis Yates

  • Suddenly Tom became very excited as he looked at the hydroplane.

  • We called for the coast guard when a hydroplane crashed on Rock Harbor.

    The Crystal Ball

    Roy J. Snell

  • With her own eyes Greta had seen a helpless one carried from a hydroplane to this place.

    The Phantom Violin

    Roy J. Snell

  • You dont want to smash that hydroplane and wheel any more than they are.

British Dictionary definitions for hydroplane

hydroplane

noun
  1. a motorboat equipped with hydrofoils or with a shaped bottom that raises its hull out of the water at high speeds
  2. an attachment to an aircraft to enable it to glide along the surface of water
  3. another name (esp US) for a seaplane
  4. a horizontal vane on the hull of a submarine for controlling its vertical motion
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verb
  1. (intr) (of a boat) to rise out of the water in the manner of a hydroplane
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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

Word Origin and History for hydroplane

n.

"motorboat that glides on the surface of water," 1895, coined by U.S. engineer Harvey D. Williams ["Sibley Journal of Engineering," Cornell University, vol. X, p.81]; from hydro- + plane (from airplane).

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v.

by 1908, "to skim the surface of water by use of hydroplanes," from hydroplane (n.). Meaning "skid on a thin layer of water" (especially of automobile tires) first recorded 1962, properly aquaplane (itself from 1961 in this sense). Related: Hydroplaned; hydroplaning.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper