airplane

air·plane

noun \ˈer-ˌplān\

Definition of AIRPLANE

: a powered heavier-than-air aircraft with fixed wings from which it derives most of its lift

Examples of AIRPLANE

1. <my uncle learned how to fly an airplane during World War II>

Illustration of AIRPLANE

Origin of AIRPLANE

alteration of aeroplane

First Known Use: 1907

Related to AIRPLANE

Synonyms

aeroplane [chiefly British], plane

Related Words

airbus, airliner, air taxi, liner; aerodyne, aircraft, air-cushion vehicle, airframe, airship, ship, tractor; freighter, tanker; jet, jetliner, superjet, supersonic, supersonic transport, trijet, turbojet, turboprop; aerospace plane, rocket plane; bomber, fighter, jump jet, torpedo bomber, torpedo plane, warplane; amphibian, seaplane; biplane, lightplane, tilt-rotor, towplane, trimotor, triplane; glider, sailplane

Rhymes with AIRPLANE

abstain, again, air lane, amain, arcane, arraign, attain, Bahrain, Bassein, Beltane, biplane, birdbrain, block plane, bloodstain, boat train, brain drain, bugbane, campaign, champagne, champaign, Champlain, checkrein, chicane, chilblain, choke chain, chow mein, cinquain, cocaine, Cockaigne, Coltrane, coxswain, complain, constrain, contain, cordwain, cowbane, crackbrain, demesne, deplane, destain, detain, detrain, devein, disdain, distain, distrain, dogbane, domain, drivetrain, dumb cane, edge-grain, Elaine, enchain, enplane, entrain, ethane, explain, eyestrain, fast lane, fleabane, floatplane, floodplain, food chain, forebrain, Fort Wayne, Gawain, germane, Great Dane, grosgrain, half plane, henbane, hindbrain, house-train, humane, Hussein, Igraine, immane, inane, ingrain, insane, jack plane, lamebrain, left brain, lightplane, lo mein, long-chain, Lorraine, maintain, marchpane, membrane, methane, midbrain, migraine, Montaigne, montane, moraine, mortmain, Moulmein, mundane, neck-rein, New Spain, obtain, octane, ordain, pertain, plain-Jane, profane, propane, ptomaine, purslane, quatrain, raise Cain, refrain, remain, restrain, retain, retrain, right brain, romaine, sailplane, sea-lane, seaplane, seatrain, split-brain, sustain, tailplane, tearstain, terrane, Touraine, towplane, triplane, Ukraine, unchain, urbane, vervain, vicereine, villein, volplane, warplane, wave train, wolfsbane

airplane

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Two physical forces essential to airplane flight are thrust and lift. Jet engines, such as the …—© Merriam-Webster Inc.

Fixed-wing aircraft that is heavier than air, propelled by a screw propeller or a high-velocity jet, and supported by the dynamic reaction of the air against its wings. An airplane's essential components are the body or fuselage, a flight-sustaining wing system, stabilizing tail surfaces, altitude-control devices such as rudders, a thrust-providing power source, and a landing support system. Beginning in the 1840s, several British and French inventors produced designs for engine-powered aircraft, but the first powered, sustained, and controlled flight was only achieved by Wilbur and Orville Wright in 1903. Later airplane design was affected by the development of the jet engine; most airplanes today have a long nose section, swept-back wings with jet engines placed behind the plane's midsection, and a tail stabilizing section. Most airplanes are designed to operate from land; seaplanes are adapted to touch down on water, and carrier-based planes are modified for high-speed short takeoff and landing. See also airfoil; aviation; glider; helicopter.