helicopter

¹he·li·cop·ter

noun \ˈhe-lə-ˌkäp-tər, ˈhē-\

Definition of HELICOPTER

: an aircraft whose lift is derived from the aerodynamic forces acting on one or more powered rotors turning about substantially vertical axes

Examples of HELICOPTER

1. <took a helicopter tour to get a better sense of the grandeur of the Grand Canyon>

Origin of HELICOPTER

French hélicoptère, from Greek heliko- + pteron wing — more at feather

First Known Use: 1887

Related to HELICOPTER

Synonyms

chopper, copter, eggbeater, helo, whirlybird

Related Words

rotary-wing aircraft, rotorcraft; autogiro (or autogyro), convertiplane (or convertaplane), gyroplane, tilt-rotor; slick [slang]

Rhymes with HELICOPTER

adopter, ornithopter

²helicopter

verb

Definition of HELICOPTER

intransitive verb

: to travel by helicopter

transitive verb

: to transport by helicopter

First Known Use of HELICOPTER

1952

helicopter

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Aircraft with one or more power-driven horizontal rotors that enable it to take off and land vertically, move in any direction, or remain stationary in the air. Since a rotor is essentially a rotating airfoil, a helicopter is often described as a rotary-wing aircraft, in contrast to a conventional fixed-wing airplane. One of the earliest ideas for flying, it appeared in China and Renaissance Europe as a toy and in Leonardo da Vinci's designs. The Frenchman Paul Cornu made the first manned flight in 1907. Igor Sikorsky produced the first successful prototype in 1939, which was followed by rapid development in the U.S. and Europe. It is widely used for civilian transport, rescue work, and various commercial purposes. It has been used by military forces since the Korean War (1950–53) for transporting material, moving assault troops, and directly attacking other forces.