lighter-than-air

[ lahy-ter-thuhn-air ]

adjective

, Aeronautics.

1. (of an aircraft) weighing less than the air it displaces, hence obtaining lift from aerostatic buoyancy.
2. of or relating to lighter-than-air craft.

lighter than air

adjective

1. having a lower density than that of air
2. of or relating to an aircraft, such as a balloon or airship, that depends on buoyancy for support in the air

Word History and Origins

Origin of lighter-than-air¹

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

In 1915, Germany’s lighter-than-air dirigible balloons, called Zeppelins after their designer, Count Ferdinand Zeppelin, began nighttime bombing raids over southern England, causing widespread panic and killing or wounding several thousand people.

From Literature

For one thing, the ship gets its lift from helium – a lighter-than-air gas that does not burn.

From NewsForKids.net

At the time, the Navy used lighter-than-air ships for patrol and antisubmarine defense.

From Seattle Times

Its balloon program could collapse if the United States decides to notify other countries when lighter-than-air vehicles are heading their way.

From Los Angeles Times

“There can be no question that the tragic loss of the ‘Roma,’ following all too closely upon the disaster to ‘ZR-2,’ has raised doubt as to whether lighter-than-air ships are practicable and safe.

From Scientific American