zeppelin

¹

[ zep-uh-lin ]

noun

1. (often initial capital letter) a large dirigible balloon consisting of a long, cylindrical, covered framework containing compartments or cells filled with gas, and of various structures for holding the engines, passengers, etc.
2. any rigid airship or dirigible.

Zeppelin

²

[ tsep-uh-leen, tsep-uh-leen; English zep-uh-lin ]

noun

1. Count Fer·di·nand von [kount , fer, -di-nahnt f, uh, n], 1838–1917, German general and aeronaut: designer and manufacturer of the zeppelin.

Zeppelin

¹

/ ˈtsɛpəliːn /

noun

1. ZeppelinFerdinand von, Count18381917MGermanTRAVEL AND EXPLORATION: aeronautical pioneerTECHNOLOGY: airship builder Count Ferdinand von (ˈfɛrdinant fɔn). 1838–1917, German aeronautical pioneer, who designed and manufactured airships (zeppelins)

zeppelin

²

/ ˈzɛpəlɪn /

noun

1. sometimes capital a large cylindrical rigid airship built from 1900 to carry passengers, and used in World War I for bombing and reconnaissance

Word History and Origins

Origin of zeppelin¹

First recorded in 1900; after Count von Zeppelin

Word History and Origins

Origin of zeppelin¹

C20: named after Count von Zeppelin

Example Sentences

Above them was a suspended zeppelin: Imagine a giant balloon of a baked potato floating over 34th Street in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

From New York Times

In groundbreaking work published last year, the Harvard team deduced that the stellar halo is tilted and elliptical in shape, like a zeppelin or football.

From Science Daily

And Harper asks viewers to hurt themselves suspending their disbelief, most notably in an action sequence where Rachel jumps out of a plane and lands on a zeppelin called The Locker.

From Salon

In Scotland it became useful as a reconnaissance plane to protect the Forth coastline and Rosyth dockyard against German zeppelins.

From BBC

Most of us know of the zeppelin through the Hindenburg, which burst into flames in New Jersey in 1937, killing 36 people.

From Washington Post

Related Words

• aircraft
• airplane
• barge
• boat
• plane
• ship
• spacecraft
• vessel