aerial

American  

[air-ee-uhl, ey-eer-ee-uhl, air-ee-uhl] / ˈɛər i əl, eɪˈɪər i əl, ˈɛər i əl /

adjective

1. of, in, or produced by the air.

   aerial currents.

2. inhabiting or frequenting the air.

   aerial creatures.

3. operating on a track or cable elevated above the ground.

   an aerial ski lift up the mountainside.

4. reaching far into the air; high; lofty.

   aerial spires.

5. partaking of the nature of air; airy.

6. unsubstantial; visionary.

   aerial fancies.

7. having a light and graceful beauty; ethereal.

   aerial music.

8. Biology. growing in the air, as the adventitious roots of some trees.

9. pertaining to or used for, against, or in aircraft.

10. supplied or performed by means of aircraft.

    aerial support; aerial reconnaissance.

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noun

1. a radio or television antenna.

2. Football. forward pass.

aerial British  

/ ˈɛərɪəl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or resembling air

2. existing, occurring, moving, or operating in the air

   aerial cable car

   aerial roots of a plant

3. ethereal; light and delicate

4. imaginary; visionary

5. extending high into the air; lofty

6. of or relating to aircraft

   aerial combat

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noun

1. Also called: antenna.  the part of a radio or television system having any of various shapes, such as a dipole, Yagi, long-wire, or vertical aerial, by means of which radio waves are transmitted or received

Other Word Forms

• aerially adverb
• aerialness noun
• superaerial adjective
• superaerially adverb

Etymology

Origin of aerial

1595–1605; 1900–05 aerial for def. 11; < Latin āeri ( us ) of the air (< Greek āérios, equivalent to āer- (stem of āḗr air ¹ ) + -ios adj. suffix) + -al ¹

Example Sentences

Competition is heating up among global tech giants over the future of aerial mobility, with Tesla CEO Elon Musk teasing the debut of a flying car prototype within weeks.

From Barron's

They are outnumbering Ukraine’s unmanned aerial vehicles in key sections of the front, while using improved tactics that are testing Ukraine’s ability to keep its front-line defenders supplied.

From The Wall Street Journal

Since July, the Coast Guard has acquired several hundred aerial drones and undersea and surface vessels.

From The Wall Street Journal

South Africa were also dominating the aerial battle, while centre Esterhuizen was continually punching holes in the Welsh defence.

From BBC

An aerial photo taken in 2014 revealed the unmistakable layout of a church below the surface of the water.

From The Wall Street Journal