cockpit

noun

cock·​pit ˈkäk-ˌpit How to pronounce cockpit (audio)
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
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The main hangar deck is home to the fully interactive Exploreum, where kids of all ages can climb into the cockpit of a Bell 47 helicopter and slide into a 40-foot submarine. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 May 2026 The United Kingdom company, a worldwide leading manufacturer of cockpit windows, jet canopies and aviation widows for civil and military aircraft, has been operating in Garden Grove for decades and employs more than 500 local workers. Sean Emery, Oc Register, 25 May 2026 Merlin argues artificial intelligence could eventually help address some of the same problems in the cockpit. Pete Muntean, CNN Money, 24 May 2026 That law followed airline pilots’ pushback over the controversial TV station airing of a cockpit conversation relating to the August 1988 crash of Delta Air Lines Flight 1141 at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. ArsTechnica, 22 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for cockpit

Word History

First Known Use

1556, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of cockpit was in 1556

Cite this Entry

“Cockpit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cockpit. Accessed 27 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

cockpit

noun
cock·​pit ˈkäk-ˌpit How to pronounce cockpit (audio)
: a space or compartment in a usually small vehicle (as a boat, airplane, or automobile) from which it is steered, piloted, or driven

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