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

Alex Souponetsky, the general manager of Fly Legacy Aviation, told CBS News Philadelphia in a statement that a Piper Pilot 100i training aircraft's engine lost power over the Delaware River on Wednesday. —Kerri Corrado, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026

The aircraft, carrying a flight instructor and student pilot, had climbed to roughly 1,700 feet before turning back toward the airport. —Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 1 Apr. 2026

Taiwanese authorities have already highlighted Chinese deception activity in the air and at sea, including large military drones transmitting false aircraft identities. —Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026

The airline is looking to incentivize its pilots with bonuses to cut down on their aircraft’s fuel consumption from next year. —Ian King, CNBC, 1 Apr. 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