pilot

[ pahy-luht ]

/ ˈpaɪ lət /

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See synonyms for: pilot / piloted / piloting 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 pi·lot film

[pahy-luht film], /ˈpaɪ lət ˌfɪlm/, pi·lot tape

[pahy-luht teyp] /ˈpaɪ lət ˌteɪp/ .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.

OTHER WORDS FOR pilot

2 helmsperson.

13 maneuver, manage.

See synonyms for pilot on Thesaurus.com

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of pilot

First recorded in 1520–30; earlier pylotte, from Middle French pillotte, from Italian pilota, dissimilated variant of pedota, from unattested Medieval Greek pēdṓtēs “steersman,” equivalent to pēd(á) “rudder” (plural of pēdón “oar”) + -ōtēs agent suffix

OTHER WORDS FROM pilot

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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use pilot in a sentence

Luminar’s lidar will be part of Mobileye’s first-generation fleet of driverless vehicles, which are being piloted in Dubai, Tel Aviv, Paris, China and Daegu City, South Korea.
Mobileye taps Luminar to supply lidar for its robotaxi fleet|Kirsten Korosec|November 20, 2020|TechCrunch
In addition to necessary changes to the plane’s software, the carrier will have to train its nearly 7,000 pilots — including simulator time.
FAA lifts ban on Boeing 737 Max after crashes in 2018 and 2019 grounded the jet|Michael Laris, Lori Aratani, Ian Duncan|November 19, 2020|Washington Post
The limit of this project was the pilot, because you cannot stay too long, not drinking, not eating.
Leveraging collective intelligence and AI to benefit society|Jason Sparapani|November 18, 2020|MIT Technology Review
If it is triggered, its ability to dive is limited so that pilots can still control the plane manually.
FAA gives Boeing 737 Max the green light to fly again, shares soar|kdunn6|November 18, 2020|Fortune

Hopkins, 51, an Air Force colonel and test pilot, will make his second sojourn to the space station, seven years after his first.
SpaceX, NASA plan second commercial taxi to the space station this weekend|Verne Kopytoff|November 13, 2020|Fortune
The U-2 that left Pakistan that day was piloted by a former Air Force captain, Francis Gary Powers.
Russia’s Missiles Stung the World Long Before MH17|Clive Irving|July 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Public use of piloted UAS operations are approved on a "case-by-case basis," it reads.
Are Amazon’s Drone Plans Just a Fantasy?|Abby Haglage|December 2, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Attack Syrian government military targets with cruise missiles, drones, or with the foregoing plus piloted U.S. aircraft.
Obama’s New Syria Options|Leslie H. Gelb|August 25, 2013|DAILY BEAST
In a Senate hearing on the drone program, retired Col. Martha McSally wanted to call them “Remotely Piloted Aircraft.”
Why Drones Make Us Nervous|Josh Dzieza|May 17, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The Wisconsin Badgers are piloted by Buckingham U. Badger, who goes by Bucky.
The Dummies’ Guide to College Football Bowl Games|Sujay Kumar|January 1, 2013|DAILY BEAST
It ran by three red lights without shaking the roadster piloted by Black Hood.
Hooded Detective, Volume III No. 2, January, 1942|Various
He made much money at his business, and owned at one time, a steamboat, which he piloted himself.
The Condition, Elevation, Emigration, and Destiny of the Colored People of the United States|Martin R. Delany
Drinkwater went to her side and piloted her to the armchair, amid a heavy craning-forward of her tense audience.
The Woman Gives|Owen Johnson
A deserter piloted the detachment safely over the torpedoes which had been planted in front of them.
The Boys of '61|Charles Carleton Coffin.
Quin put a firm hand on her arm and piloted her back to her suit-case.
Quin|Alice Hegan Rice

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

pilot

OTHER WORDS FOR pilot

Origin of pilot

OTHER WORDS FROM pilot

Words related to pilot

How to use pilot in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for pilot

Word Origin for pilot