pilot

[ pahy-luht ]

/ ˈpaɪ lət /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR pilot ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a person duly qualified to steer ships into or out of a harbor or through certain difficult waters.

a person who steers a ship.

Aeronautics. a person duly qualified to operate an airplane, balloon, or other aircraft.

a guide or leader: the pilot of the expedition.

coast pilot(def 1).

pilot light(def 1).

Machinery. a guide for centering or otherwise positioning two adjacent parts, often consisting of a projection on one part fitting into a recess in the other.

Railroads. cowcatcher.

Also called pilot film, pilot tape. Television. a prototypical filmed or taped feature, produced with hopes of network adoption as a television series and aired to test potential viewer interest and attract sponsors.

a preliminary or experimental trial or test: The school will offer a pilot of its new computer course.

verb (used with object)

to steer.

to lead, guide, or conduct, as through unknown places, intricate affairs, etc.

to act as pilot on, in, or over.

to be in charge of or responsible for: We're looking for someone to pilot the new project.

adjective

serving as an experimental or trial undertaking prior to full-scale operation or use: a pilot project.

Nearby words

pilonidal, pilonidal sinus, pilos, pilose, pilosebaceous, pilot, pilot balloon, pilot bird, pilot biscuit, pilot boat, pilot burner

Origin of pilot

1520–30; earlier pylotte < Middle French pillotte < Italian pilota, dissimilated variant of pedota < Medieval Greek *pēdṓtēs steersman, equivalent to pēd(á) rudder (plural of pēdón oar) + -ōtēs agent suffix

SYNONYMS FOR pilot

2 helmsman.

13 maneuver, manage.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR pilot ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

un·pi·lot·ed, adjectivewell-pi·lot·ed, adjective

Can be confused

Pilate pilot

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for pilot

Investigators will focus on whether the sudden emergency was so extreme that no degree of pilot skill would have helped.
Flight 8501 Poses Question: Are Modern Jets Too Automated to Fly?|Clive Irving|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
At such a moment, the pilot has no resources other than his own instincts and experience.
Flight 8501 Poses Question: Are Modern Jets Too Automated to Fly?|Clive Irving|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
By 2011, Airbus was working on a program to replicate these conditions in a flight simulator for use in pilot training.
Flight 8501 Poses Question: Are Modern Jets Too Automated to Fly?|Clive Irving|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The “pilot flying” was more probably the far less experienced copilot.
Flight 8501 Poses Question: Are Modern Jets Too Automated to Fly?|Clive Irving|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST

By contrast, a gun will allow a pilot to attack hostile forces that are less than 300 feet from friendly ground forces.
New U.S. Stealth Jet Can’t Fire Its Gun Until 2019|Dave Majumdar|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
What pilot is there indeed who has not many times experienced such unpleasant sensation?
The Aeroplane Speaks|H. Barber
The Pilot turned the head of the pinnace, and Jack immediately threw his harpoon.
Willis the Pilot|Johanna Spyri
The canvas fell into festoons, and the pilot called, "All ready forrard?"
The Wreck of the Grosvenor, Volume 1 of 3|William Clark Russell
I said nothing, but acted as my own pilot, and took opportunity to watch my hard-riding friend during the course of the run.
Ladies on Horseback|Nannie Lambert
We are not going to touch at any Irish port, so I am hurrying to write a few lines to send off by the Pilot.
Canada for Gentlemen|James Seton Cockburn

British Dictionary definitions for pilot

pilot

/ (ˈpaɪlət) /

noun

a person who is qualified to operate an aircraft or spacecraft in flight
(as modifier)pilot error

a person who is qualified to steer or guide a ship into or out of a port, river mouth, etc
(as modifier)a pilot ship

a person who steers a ship

a person who acts as a leader or guide

machinery a guide, often consisting of a tongue or dowel, used to assist in joining two mating parts together

machinery a plug gauge for measuring an internal diameter

films a colour test strip accompanying black-and-white rushes from colour originals

an experimental programme on radio or television

See pilot film

(modifier) used in or serving as a test or triala pilot project

(modifier) serving as a guidea pilot beacon

verb (tr)

to act as pilot of

to control the course of

to guide or lead (a project, people, etc)

Word Origin for pilot

C16: from French pilote, from Medieval Latin pilotus, ultimately from Greek pēdon oar; related to Greek pous foot

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