: the structure of an aircraft, rocket vehicle, or missile without the power plant
also
: aircraft
Examples of airframe in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The generator, which didn't have fuel, was loaded in the aft baggage compartment and secured to the airframe with webbing.
—
Briauna Brown, CBS News, 3 Dec. 2025
This puts extreme thermal stresses on the airframe and heats the interior of the craft to the point where sensitive sensors and electronics required for navigation can be damaged.
—New Atlas, 2 Dec. 2025
With advanced airframe design, Astro Mechanica is developing the world’s first supersonic aircraft capable of transpacific flight.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 1 Dec. 2025
The company decided to establish manufacturing facilities for serial production of its airframes, propulsion units, and flight controls.
—Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 5 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for airframe
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Briauna Brown, CBS News, 3 Dec. 2025
This puts extreme thermal stresses on the airframe and heats the interior of the craft to the point where sensitive sensors and electronics required for navigation can be damaged.
—New Atlas, 2 Dec. 2025
With advanced airframe design, Astro Mechanica is developing the world’s first supersonic aircraft capable of transpacific flight.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 1 Dec. 2025
The company decided to establish manufacturing facilities for serial production of its airframes, propulsion units, and flight controls.
—Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 5 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for airframe
Cite this Entry
“Airframe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/airframe. Accessed 13 Dec. 2025.
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airframe
noun
air·frame
ˈa(ə)r-ˌfrām 
ˈe(ə)r-
: the structure of an aircraft, rocket vehicle, or missile without the engine and related parts
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