aircraft
Americannoun
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aircraft
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of aircraft
Compare meaning
How does aircraft compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
A machine that can fly, held aloft in the air, is called an aircraft. Airplanes and helicopters are two types of aircraft. Some aircraft, such as helicopters, fly by using rotary wings — spinning blades that directly generate lift. Airplanes use engines to turn propellers or power gas turbines, providing the thrust needed to move air over their wings and create lift. Still other aircraft, including hot-air balloons, achieve lift through buoyancy, by using gases that are lighter than the surrounding air. Balloons and airships, including blimps and dirigibles, were actually the first vehicles referred to as aircraft, a term adapted from nautical terminology.
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 aircraft touched down at 158 knots, or roughly 181 miles an hour, Shin said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026
With few aircraft able to take off, it is understood landings are being restricted, leading to some flights being prevented from departing from overseas airports.
From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026
Both companies are suppliers to the aircraft industry, providing complex castings and other parts.
From Barron's ● Sep. 8, 2026
There is a risk of harm to American aircraft manufacturers, said analysts at Capital Alpha Partners in a note.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 8, 2026
On one afternoon, there were an incredible seventy aircraft full of media and tourists—in addition to the helicopters and planes the scientists used—circling the mountain.
From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
