parachute

1 of 2

noun

para·​chute ˈper-ə-ˌshüt How to pronounce parachute (audio)
ˈpa-rə-
1
: a device for slowing the descent of a person or object through the air that consists of a fabric canopy beneath which the person or object is suspended
2
3
: a device or structure suggestive of a parachute in form, use, or operation
parachutic adjective

parachute

2 of 2

verb

parachuted; parachuting

transitive verb

: to convey by means of a parachute

intransitive verb

: to descend by means of a parachute

Examples of parachute in a Sentence

Noun The pilot was wearing a parachute. The supplies were dropped by parachute. Verb The soldiers parachuted in and quickly hid their gear. New troops parachuted into enemy territory. We will parachute supplies in after you arrive. New troops were parachuted into enemy territory.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Around 2:20 three planes started to drop their parachutes across the beach. Nicholas Kristof, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2024 In recent years, the Forest Service has switched from round parachutes to rectangular ones, which allow for greater maneuverability. ProPublica, 16 Mar. 2024 The United States and other nations have responded to the crisis by airdropping food and water into northern Gaza — operations that have proved insufficient and even deadly, after several Palestinians were killed by aid pallets whose parachutes malfunctioned. Abigail Hauslohner, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024 The experiences are quite different, as winged vehicles land like an airplane on a runway, whereas capsules descend beneath parachutes onto land or water. Stefanie Waldek, Travel + Leisure, 14 Mar. 2024 Photographs released by the Fire Department show the wrecked plane and parachute caught up in the trees about 100 feet from the ground. Becca Longmire, Peoplemag, 14 Mar. 2024 How exactly does a cat fit into a parachute harness? Jaron Lanier, The New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2024 At a beach in southern Gaza, boxes of supplies dropped from military aircraft drifted down on parachutes as thousands of Palestinians ran along the sand to retrieve them. Tia Goldenberg, arkansasonline.com, 28 Feb. 2024 Hot on its heels are the distinctly better-resourced Southampton and Leeds United, both of whom have used the parachute payment wisely to also install promising coaches to train their already talented ranks. Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024
Verb
The next step will be to install a better fence at the project, which is drawing significant police resources and where city leaders fear someone will die, especially after social media videos showed people BASE jumping — parachuting from the towers. John Antczak, Fortune, 17 Feb. 2024 Moore spoke after video of a man parachuting from the top of one of the towers went viral Monday, prompting an urgent safety warning from Mayor Karen Bass. Video shared on Instagram appeared to show someone paragliding from the top of the towers. Patrick Smith, NBC News, 14 Feb. 2024 After leaving North Africa, Mr. Sadler was posted to an SAS training center in Scotland and then parachuted into France in 1944 after the D-Day invasion and took part in sabotage operations. Brian Murphy, Washington Post, 6 Jan. 2024 The actual flight capsule will parachute into the ocean south of San Diego, where a Navy recovery team will await them. Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Feb. 2024 Evidently authenticating the footage, Mayor Karen Bass confirmed to TV station NBC4 that people were seen parachuting off the building. Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 13 Feb. 2024 The idea is to build expertise in home countries rather than needing Americans to parachute in when problems are detected, which takes too long and smacks of colonialism. Karen Weintraub, USA TODAY, 1 Jan. 2024 Ted Lasso's cast of characters are all memorable, each in their own way, but whenever Becky Ann Baker, 70, parachutes in as Ted Lasso's mother, there are moments that are both comical and scenes rife with drama between her and Jason Sudeikis. Jp Mangalindan, Peoplemag, 7 Jan. 2024 Investigators said Jacob never intended to reach his destination but instead planned to eject himself during the flight and record himself parachuting to the ground as his plane descended and crashed. Anthony De Leon, Los Angeles Times, 5 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'parachute.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

borrowed from French, from para- (as in parasol parasol) + chute "fall" — more at chute

Verb

derivative of parachute entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1784, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1809, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of parachute was in 1784

Dictionary Entries Near parachute

Cite this Entry

“Parachute.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/parachute. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

parachute

1 of 2 noun
para·​chute ˈpar-ə-ˌshüt How to pronounce parachute (audio)
1
: a folding umbrella-shaped device of light fabric used especially for making a safe jump from an aircraft
2
: something (as the bunch of hairs on a dandelion seed) that is like a parachute in form, use, or operation

parachute

2 of 2 verb
parachuted; parachuting
: to transport or come down by means of a parachute
parachutist
-ˌshüt-əst
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on parachute

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!