airman

noun

air·​man ˈer-mən How to pronounce airman (audio)
plural airmen
1
: a civilian or military pilot, aviator, or aviation technician
2
: an enlisted person in the air force: such as
a
: an enlisted person of one of the four ranks below sergeant
b
: an enlisted person ranking above an airman basic and below an airman first class

Examples of airman in a Sentence

her father was an airman who was shot down in Vietnam
Recent Examples on the Web The airman was identified by police as 25-year-old Aaron Bushnell. Corky Siemaszko, NBC News, 27 Feb. 2024 While my inner little boy was left suitably awe-struck as fearless airmen flung their eager warbirds through footless halls of air, the rest of me sat there frowning. Lee Hutchinson, Ars Technica, 29 Jan. 2024 The drone Sunday detonated its payload of explosives near living quarters at the logistics base where about 350 U.S. soldiers and airmen are based. Tom Vanden Brook, USA TODAY, 29 Jan. 2024 And while there were good doctors, the airmen were also subjected to real neglect. Lili Loofbourow, Washington Post, 26 Jan. 2024 Barry Keoghan, Anthony Boyle, Nate Mann and Ncuti Gatwa round out the cast of American airmen. Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Jan. 2024 Consequently, all of the airmen developed intense bonds in a short period of time. Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Mar. 2024 The active-duty airman who set himself on fire in front of the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., has died, according to a U.S. official. NBC News, 27 Feb. 2024 An active-duty airman who set himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy on Sunday to protest U.S. support for Israel’s war in Gaza has died, a D.C. police spokesman said Monday morning. Kelly kasulis Cho, Washington Post, 26 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'airman.' 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

1873, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of airman was in 1873

Dictionary Entries Near airman

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

airman

noun
air·​man -mən How to pronounce airman (audio)
1
2
a
: an enlisted person in the air force
b
: an enlisted person in the air force with a rank below that of sergeant
especially : one with the rank just below that of airman first class

More from Merriam-Webster on airman

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!