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

Due to the scale of the Russian attack, military aircraft were put in the air by neighboring Poland to protect its airspace, the Reuters news agency reported, citing the country’s armed forces. — Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2026

Unlike jamming, which can merely force an aircraft to retreat, the laser ensures that the same drone cannot return on another surveillance flight. — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 8 Sep. 2026

The biggest aircraft in the fleet, Boeing’s 767-300F, typically carries about 116,000 lbs. — Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 8 Sep. 2026

Officials said two unidentified people in the aircraft have died. — Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 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