cockpit

noun

cock·​pit ˈkäk-ˌpit 

1

a

: a pit or enclosure for cockfights

b

: a place noted for especially bloody, violent, or long-continued conflict

2

obsolete : the pit of a theater

3

: a compartment in a sailing warship used as quarters for junior officers and for treatment of the wounded in an engagement

4

: a space or compartment in a usually small vehicle (such as a boat, airplane, or automobile) from which it is steered, piloted, or driven see airplane illustration

Examples of cockpit in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The solution was modular outdoor furniture mounted on lockable casters, allowing the owners to reconfigure the cockpit themselves for four, eight or 12 guests. — Dea Jusufi, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026

The nearby aft cockpit leads to the living quarters, blurring the traditional boundaries between inside and out. — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 20 July 2026

Adding a human to a cockpit requires many more millions of dollars in cost, including small items such as the explosive bolts needed to launch ejector seats and specialized helmets. — Phillips Payson O’Brien, The Atlantic, 18 July 2026

Autonomy Kit, which essentially puts an AI pilot in the cockpit. — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 18 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1556, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing cockpit

• cockpit voice recorder

Rhymes for cockpit

• acquit
• admit
• armpit
• backlit
• befit
• commit
• dalit
• dendrite
• emit
• illite
• misfit
• moonlit

Kids Definition

cockpit

noun

cock·​pit ˈkäk-ˌpit 

: a space or compartment in a usually small vehicle (as a boat, airplane, or automobile) from which it is steered, piloted, or driven