Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for helicopter. Search instead for shuttle+helicopter.
Synonyms

helicopter

American  
[hel-i-kop-ter, hee-li-] / ˈhɛl ɪˌkɒp tər, ˈhi lɪ- /

noun

  1. any of a class of heavier-than-air craft that are lifted and sustained in the air horizontally by rotating wings or blades turning on vertical axes through power supplied by an engine.

verb (used without object)

  1. to fly in a helicopter.

verb (used with object)

  1. to convey in a helicopter.

helicopter British  
/ ˈhɛlɪˌkɒptə /

noun

  1. an aircraft capable of hover, vertical flight, and horizontal flight in any direction. Most get all of their lift and propulsion from the rotation of overhead blades See also autogiro

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. to transport (people or things) or (of people or things) to be transported by helicopter

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of helicopter

From the French word hélicoptère, dating back to 1885–90. See helico-, -pter

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.

The pilots of an Apache attack helicopter were suspended this week after doing a flyby of Kid Rock’s home in Tennessee.

From Salon • Apr. 3, 2026

Airbus is also working on an unmanned version of the H145 helicopter, known as the Lakota in the United States, for the US Navy, a major customer for the conventional model.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

The defense secretary reversed the suspension of helicopter aircrew who flew by Kid Rock’s home.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

The helicopter was carrying one pilot and four passengers, police said in a statement.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

“Not long before dusk, a Huey helicopter flew near,” remembered Bruce.

From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone

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.