aerial

American  

[air-ee-uhl, ey-eer-ee-uhl, air-ee-uhl] / ˈɛər i əl, eɪˈɪər i əl, ˈɛər i əl /

adjective

1. of, in, or produced by the air.

   aerial currents.

2. inhabiting or frequenting the air.

   aerial creatures.

3. operating on a track or cable elevated above the ground.

   an aerial ski lift up the mountainside.

4. reaching far into the air; high; lofty.

   aerial spires.

5. partaking of the nature of air; airy.

6. unsubstantial; visionary.

   aerial fancies.

7. having a light and graceful beauty; ethereal.

   aerial music.

8. Biology. growing in the air, as the adventitious roots of some trees.

9. pertaining to or used for, against, or in aircraft.

10. supplied or performed by means of aircraft.

    aerial support; aerial reconnaissance.

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noun

• aerials
  plural

1. a radio or television antenna.

2. Football. forward pass.

aerial British  

/ ˈɛərɪəl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or resembling air

2. existing, occurring, moving, or operating in the air

   aerial cable car

   aerial roots of a plant

3. ethereal; light and delicate

4. imaginary; visionary

5. extending high into the air; lofty

6. of or relating to aircraft

   aerial combat

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noun

1. Also called: antenna.  the part of a radio or television system having any of various shapes, such as a dipole, Yagi, long-wire, or vertical aerial, by means of which radio waves are transmitted or received

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• aerialness
  noun
• superaerial
  adjective
• aerially
  adverb
• superaerially
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• aerials
  plural

Etymology

Origin of aerial

1595–1605; 1900–05 aerial for def. 11; < Latin āeri ( us ) of the air (< Greek āérios, equivalent to āer- (stem of āḗr air ¹ ) + -ios adj. suffix) + -al ¹

Explanation

Things that are aerial are happening in the air: birds, planes, and missiles are all aerial things. When talking about things that are literally up in the air, you can use the word aerial. If a country sends planes to bomb another country, that's an aerial attack. In football, the passing game is called the aerial game. Anything light and airy can also be called aerial, and an aerial is a device that picks up radio or TV signals: it plucks them out of the air. So when you see the word aerial, just think "air."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

aerial aerials

Visiting victims of the West Midlands wildfire on Friday, he told BBC Five Live that there needs to be a focus on adapting to the changing climate, including considering aerial firefighting resources.

From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026

They were counting heavily on aerial assistance to bring the situation under control.

From Barron's ● Aug. 16, 2026

An aerial view of the Obras del Poder Popular complex in Caraballeda.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

Some perform feats of strength, flips, aerial dance moves, head-first dives.

From Salon ● Aug. 11, 2026

Giant eagles circled the battlefield, doing aerial combat with two snake-haired ladies in green Bargain Mart vests—Stheno and Euryale.

From "The Son of Neptune" by Rick Riordan

Show your children aerials of courses from all over the world, and talk about how different courses can look along the Pacific coast, the Lowcountry of South Carolina or in the Scottish Highlands.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 10, 2026

Two hours later, China had another gold as freestyle skier Xu Mengtao won the women's aerials final.

From Barron's ● Feb. 18, 2026

How amazing we can be up close and then have soaring aerials using the drone and effectively use a snap cut.

From Salon ● Jan. 9, 2025

Some of Mr Iliffe's neighbours also suffered damage to their properties - with other aerials destroyed, brickwork damaged, roof tiles blown off, and one with the windows blown out of his greenhouse.

From BBC ● Dec. 12, 2024

They moved on stealthily like stray cats, past chimneys, aerials, and Capricorn's floodlights, which were angled downward and left everything behind them in the cover of darkness.

From "Inkheart" by Cornelia Funke