monoplane
Americannoun
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an airplane with one main sustaining surface or one set of wings.
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Nautical. a planing craft the bottom of which is in an unbroken fore-and-aft line.
noun
Other Word Forms
- monoplanist noun
Etymology
Origin of monoplane
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How does monoplane compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Unlike a biplane, which has two sets of wings stacked on top of each other, a monoplane is designed to be sleeker and faster with just a single set of wings. The word monoplane combines the Greek prefix mono-, meaning "one," with the word plane to describe an airplane with a single pair of wings. When the monoplane design emerged in the early 20th century, it quickly gained popularity for its greater speed and efficiency compared to bulkier, double-winged planes. With their sleek, streamlined form, monoplanes became the go-to choice for aviation pioneers and eventually set the standard for nearly all modern aircraft designs, from fighter jets to commercial airliners.
Vocabulary lists containing monoplane
"Women in Aviation," Vocabulary from the informational text
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Roots: mono
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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.
Numerous expeditions have turned up nothing, only confirming that swaths of ocean floor held no trace of her twin-tailed monoplane.
From Seattle Times • Jan. 30, 2024
On Nov. 24, 2021, Jacob flew his aircraft, a single-engine Taylorcraft BL-65 monoplane, out of Lompoc City Airport in California and heading toward Mammoth Lakes.
From Washington Times • May 12, 2023
He won cash prizes and set two records at Dominguez, one of them for quickest takeoff in his monoplane — 6.4 seconds.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 10, 2023
Shortly before his death in 1910, just shy of his 90th birthday, he was able to telegraph his congratulations when Louis Blériot crossed the English Channel in a monoplane.
From Washington Post • Jul. 19, 2017
With its propeller still revolving rapidly, the disabled monoplane described erratic curves.
From The Fight for Constantinople A Story of the Gallipoli Peninsula by Westerman, Percy F. (Percy Francis)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
