aircraft
Americannoun
plural
aircraftnoun
Etymology
Origin of aircraft
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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.
In this year’s winter period, Lufthansa will cut five aircraft that operate on short- and medium-haul routes across six hubs.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 16, 2026
During the 2026-27 winter season, capacity will be cut further at Lufthansa’s core brand’s short- and medium-haul program by five aircraft, the group said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026
As part of those measures, the company said it will remove Lufthansa CityLine’s 27 operational aircraft from its summer flight schedule permanently, starting on Saturday.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026
More than 10,000 U.S. sailors, Marines, and airmen are involved in the mission, as well as more than a dozen warships and aircraft, according to U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026
On a foggy night in England in February 1941, twenty-two British bomber aircraft crashed after returning from a combat mission.
From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein
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.
