skywriting

American  

[skahy-rahy-ting] / ˈskaɪˌraɪ tɪŋ /

noun

1. the act or technique of writing against the sky with chemically produced smoke released from a maneuvering airplane.

2. the words, letters, designs, etc., so traced.

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skywriting British  

/ ˈskaɪˌraɪtɪŋ /

noun

1. the forming of words in the sky by the release of smoke or vapour from an aircraft

2. the words so formed

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Other Word Forms

• skywriter
  noun

Etymology

Origin of skywriting

First recorded in 1920–25; sky + writing

Example Sentences

It’s also quicker than skywriting, just four seconds a character, coming out in a series of puffs.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 1, 2022

During the album’s opening number, “White Dress,” she pirouettes across the upper edge of her vocal register, her airy falsetto evaporating into the space around her like a fleeting, soon-to-be-illegible piece of skywriting.

From New York Times • Mar. 22, 2021

What would Whitney Houston, or Mariah Carey, or Mary J. Blige, or Beyoncé have done with their voices were it not for all of Franklin’s impossible skywriting?

From Washington Post • Aug. 16, 2018

That's a problem for the 35-year-old because his small skywriting businesses only really works in the air, and when Mr Trump's in town a 10-mile no-fly zone comes with him.

From BBC • Apr. 5, 2017

“The kid’s about as gifted as a caterpillar. He brings home a B and it sets off six days of skywriting and fireworks.”

From "Ungifted" by Gordon Korman