aircraft

noun

air·​craft ˈer-ˌkraft 

plural aircraft

often attributive

: a vehicle (such as an airplane or balloon) for traveling through the air

Examples of aircraft in a Sentence

a company that manufactures aircraft

Recent Examples on the Web

Despite extensive searches, neither they, nor their aircraft, were ever found. — Chas Newkey-Burden, TheWeek, 14 Oct. 2026

Flint’s opponent is Sam Forstag, a Democratic labor union leader and Forest Service smokejumper, a specialized firefighter who gets to fires by aircraft and parachute. — Will Weissert, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026

Its design supports an air group of up to around 40 aircraft, including F-35B fighters and helicopters, depending on the operational configuration. — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 14 Oct. 2026

Coates collapsed while waiting to clean an American Airlines aircraft and couldn’t be resuscitated, according to the union. — Charlotte Observer, 14 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1845, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing aircraft

• aircraft carrier
• rotary-wing aircraft

Rhymes for aircraft

• abaft
• camshaft
• crankshaft
• downdraft
• engraft
• priestcraft
• redraft
• schoolcraft
• spacecraft
• stagecraft
• statecraft
• updraft

Kids Definition

aircraft

noun

air·​craft ˈa(ə)r-ˌkraft 

ˈe(ə)r-

plural aircraft

: a machine (as an airplane, glider, or helicopter) that can travel through the air and that is supported either by its own buoyancy or by the action of the air against its surfaces