hydroplane

American  

[hahy-druh-playn] / ˈhaɪ drəˌpleɪn /

noun

• hydroplanes
  plural

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)

• hydroplanes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• hydroplaned,
  past participle,  past
• hydroplaning
  present participle

1. to skim over water in the manner of a hydroplane.

2. to travel in a hydroplane.

3. Also (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.

hydroplane British  

/ ˈhaɪdrəʊˌpleɪn /

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

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• hydroplanes
  plural

Participles

• hydroplaning
  present
• hydroplaned
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• hydroplane
  simple
• hydroplanes
  simple
• have hydroplaned
  perfect
• has hydroplaned
  perfect
• am hydroplaning
  progressive
• are hydroplaning
  progressive
• is hydroplaning
  progressive
• have been hydroplaning
  perfect progressive
• has been hydroplaning
  perfect progressive

Past

• hydroplaned
  simple
• had hydroplaned
  perfect
• was hydroplaning
  progressive
• were hydroplaning
  progressive
• had been hydroplaning
  perfect progressive

Future

• will hydroplane
  simple
• will have hydroplaned
  perfect
• will be hydroplaning
  progressive
• will have been hydroplaning
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of hydroplane

First recorded in 1900–05; hydro- ¹ + plane ¹

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Explanation

A hydroplane is an aircraft that's designed to land on water, or a boat that skims lightly across the water's surface. When you hydroplane, it's more likely to be in a car that's slipping on a wet road. The noun hydroplane always refers to a vehicle, either a speedboat that seems to hover over the surface of water as it travels, or a plane that can take off and land on an ocean or lake. Used as a verb, hydroplane describes what these vehicles do — or what a fast-moving car does on a very wet surface, losing traction as it begins to float and slide. The prefix hydro- means "water" in Greek.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hydroplane hydroplanes hydroplaned hydroplaning

Smith eventually walked away and handed the hydroplane to the Ruskin Museum.

From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026

Paul Kinghan is seeking £147,162 from the museum which houses the world-famous hydroplane – the Ruskin Museum in Coniston.

From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026

She describes being surprised in March the following year when she was asked by the museum's trustees to mediate with Mr Smith, who harboured ambitions to run the hydroplane across the globe.

From BBC ● Mar. 7, 2024

It was an unprecedented heat in unlimited hydroplane racing.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 6, 2023

Evidently he lived in this vicinity for he told me that he had just bought a hydroplane and was going to try it out in the morning.

From " The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Some participants drove runabouts that slice through the water, while others used hydroplanes, which glide over it.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 27, 2024

They both race 2.5-liter modified hydroplanes, and there will be races where they compete against each other.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 4, 2023

Stocklin didn’t want to kick the bucket without fulfilling his dream of racing hydroplanes.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 4, 2023

If you’re fascinated with hydroplanes, consider getting a $15 Pit Pass, letting you watch boaters get in and out of their hydroplanes close up and snag autographs.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 3, 2023

See our conquest of the air—dirigibles, aeroplanes, hydroplanes and the like.

From Quit Your Worrying! by George Wharton James

Near the 101 Freeway in Hidden Hills, a number of vehicles hydroplaned as Round Meadow Road flooded near Mureau Road.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 18, 2025

“There was two vehicles traveling toward each other. One hydroplaned on water and it was occupied by four people,” Sgt.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 25, 2023

During a downpour in Indiana, a Tesla Model 3 hydroplaned off the road and burst into flames.

From New York Times ● Jan. 17, 2023

The Fairfield Police Department said in a statement that the woman apparently hit a patch of standing water and hydroplaned, crashing into a nearby utility pole.

From Washington Post ● Jan. 4, 2023

The young man told Vernon that his car had hydroplaned.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel

Proper inflation and tread can reduce the risk of hydroplaning.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 23, 2025

In Garfield County, Okla., severe weather destroyed some barns, felled trees and sent cars hydroplaning into ditches, but no one was injured, said Mike Honigsberg, the emergency management director for the county.

From New York Times ● May 6, 2024

There have also been several car crashes reported, many due to hydroplaning, according to WAPT-TV.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 24, 2022

Cars were hydroplaning all over the course, crashing into the wall and struggling to get the windshield wipers working.

From Washington Times ● Oct. 10, 2020

As to substance, she truly believed that the accident had been caused by the weather, hydroplaning.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel

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