Air Force

American  

noun

1. the U.S. department consisting of practically all military aviation forces, established July 26, 1947.

2. air force, a similar department in any military organization.

3. air force, (formerly) the largest unit in the U.S. Army Air Forces.

4. air force, a unit of U.S. Air Force command between an air division and an air command.

5. Sometimes air force the military unit of a nation charged with carrying out military operations in the air.

6. British. Royal Air Force.

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air force British  

noun

1. 1. the branch of a nation's armed services primarily responsible for air warfare

   2. ( as modifier )

      an air-force base

2. a formation in the US and certain other air forces larger than an air division but smaller than an air command

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Etymology

Origin of Air Force

First recorded in 1915–1920

Example Sentences

Demand in China has been wobbly, and the company has been trying to sell off piles of unwanted casual sneakers, like Dunks and Air Force 1s.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 15, 2026

The photonic interconnect work was funded through an agreement with the Air Force Research Laboratory, IonQ said.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

The patrol also received support from the Canadian Air Force, who flew twin otter planes above them to survey the terrain as their snowmobiles travelled forward.

From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026

The company, founded in 2019, flew its first prototype, Quarterhorse Mk 1, in May 2025 during a short low-speed flight at Edwards Air Force Base in the Mojave Desert.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

We next boarded a small Air Force plane, flew to JFK Airport, and were then helicoptered into Manhattan.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama