aircraft

noun

air·​craft ˈer-ˌkraft How to pronounce aircraft (audio)
plural aircraft
often attributive
: a vehicle (such as an airplane or balloon) for traveling through the air

Examples of aircraft in a Sentence

a company that manufactures aircraft
Recent Examples on the Web Last week, gangs opened fire on the airport, striking three domestic aircraft parked at both the international airport and the neighboring Guy Malary national airport. Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 5 Mar. 2024 Parts of the aircraft crashed into a residential area, killing an additional 11 people. Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Mar. 2024 The lawsuit, filed by passengers Kyle Rinker, Amanda Strickland and Kevin Kwok, claims that negligence caused the Jan. 5 incident in which a plug door on the aircraft blew out mid-flight, forcing a terrifying emergency landing. Bailey Richards, Peoplemag, 4 Mar. 2024 Jordanian cargo planes also dropped aid alongside the U.S. aircraft. Dan Lamothe, Washington Post, 2 Mar. 2024 The vessel is the first in a new series of large hybrid VTOL aircraft that will feature varying degrees of electrification and advanced autonomy systems. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 29 Feb. 2024 The aircraft made their second appearance at the Vietnam Airshow this week. Marisa Garcia, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 The route will be flown on a Boeing 737-900 aircraft. Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 27 Feb. 2024 Sometimes metal chips will break loose in the box, threatening the aircraft’s ability to keep flying. Laura Strickler, NBC News, 27 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'aircraft.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1845, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of aircraft was in 1845

Dictionary Entries Near aircraft

Cite this Entry

“Aircraft.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aircraft. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

aircraft

noun
air·​craft ˈa(ə)r-ˌkraft How to pronounce aircraft (audio)
ˈe(ə)r-
plural aircraft
: a machine (as an airplane, glider, or helicopter) that can travel through the air and that is supported either by its own buoyancy or by the action of the air against its surfaces
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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