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seaplane

American

[see-pleyn] / ˈsiˌpleɪn /

noun

an airplane provided with floats for taking off from or landing on water.

seaplane British

/ ˈsiːˌpleɪn /

noun

Also called (esp US): hydroplane. any aircraft that lands on and takes off from water

"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

Etymology

Origin of seaplane

First recorded in 1910–15; sea + plane ¹

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.

The waterfront then just a block behind, our couple strolled from seaplane to their suite to begin their first foray into Asia.

From Salon • Jul. 12, 2025

Some moments never cease to surprise, such as a full-scale seaplane being jettisoned into the pond.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 23, 2024

Located off the Michigan shoreline on Lake Superior, the world’s largest freshwater lake, it’s accessible by seaplane and a variety of ferries and boat options.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 3, 2024

Together, they updated a 62-year-old seaplane so it could fly using magniX’s new motor.

From NewsForKids.net • Apr. 18, 2024

The investment banker Robert Greenhill likes to fly his Cessna jet to the Nantucket airport or his Cessna seaplane to his waterfront dock.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023