airplane

noun

air·​plane ˈer-ˌplān How to pronounce airplane (audio)
Synonyms of airplanenext
: a powered heavier-than-air aircraft with fixed wings from which it derives most of its lift

Illustration of airplane

Illustration of airplane
  • 1 weather radar
  • 2 cockpit
  • 3 jet engine
  • 4 engine pod
  • 5 pylon
  • 6 wing
  • 7 vertical stabilizer
  • 8 rudder
  • 9 10 tabs
  • 11 elevator
  • 12 horizontal stabilizer
  • 13 inboard flap
  • 14 inboard spoiler
  • 15 16 tabs
  • 17 aileron
  • 18 outboard flap
  • 19 outboard spoiler
  • 20 sound suppressor
  • 21 thrust reverser
  • 22 cabin air intake
  • 23 fuselage
  • 24 nose landing gear

Synonyms

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of airplane in a Sentence

my uncle learned how to fly an airplane while serving in the air force
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Investigators were also not immediately aware of how Taylor was able to board the airplane with a knife, though Williams acknowledged that the country's smaller airstrips lacked security to fully search passengers. —Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2025 The pilot of a vintage airplane crashed near a rural cafe in Alexander County on Friday afternoon, injuring himself and a passenger, according to the N.C. State Highway Patrol. —Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 19 Apr. 2025 In Graydon Carter's home office, a portrait of him by Al Hirschfeld hangs above a collection of vintage models and toys including Meccano dirigibles, English buses, and a wooden DC-3 airplane. —Nathan King, Architectural Digest, 17 Apr. 2025 On Sunday, April 13, the right engine on United Flight 2325 caught fire after a rabbit reportedly found itself on the runway as the airplane was departing Denver International Airport en route to Edmonton, Alberta. —Angel Saunders, People.com, 16 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for airplane

Word History

Etymology

alteration of aeroplane

First Known Use

1906, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of airplane was in 1906

Phrases Containing airplane

Rhymes for airplane

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Browse Nearby Words

air pistol
airplane
airplane cloth
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Cite this Entry

“Airplane.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/airplane. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.

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Kids Definition

airplane

noun
air·​plane ˈa(ə)r-ˌplān How to pronounce airplane (audio)
ˈe(ə)r-
: a fixed-wing heavier-than-air aircraft that is driven by a propeller or by a forceful stream of gases backward and is supported by the reaction of the air against its wings

More from Merriam-Webster on airplane

Nglish: Translation of airplane for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about airplane

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