dirigible

1 of 2

adjective

di·​ri·​gi·​ble ˈdir-ə-jə-bəl  də-ˈri-jə- 

: capable of being steered

dirigible

2 of 2

noun

: airship

Examples of dirigible in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Floating through the morning mists at 60 miles an hour was the world’s smallest dirigible, just 110 feet long with seating for three. — April White, JSTOR Daily, 20 Jan. 2025

The Navy built an eight-acre dirigible hangar in Mountain View, still one of the largest freestanding structures ever erected. — Literary Hub, 21 Nov. 2025

Noun

Also known as dirigibles, these craft could run on their own power. — Sarah Holzmann, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Feb. 2025

All three types of airships are also called dirigibles, meaning that they can be steered, in contrast to hot-air balloons. — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 1 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latin dirigere

Noun

dirigible (balloon)

First Known Use

Adjective

1881, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1885, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for dirigible

• unbridgeable

Kids Definition

dirigible

1 of 2 adjective

dir·​i·​gi·​ble

ˈdir-ə-jə-bəl, 

də-ˈrij-ə-

: capable of being steered

dirigible

2 of 2 noun

: airship