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

The search spanned roughly 2,400 square miles and involved officials from the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Air Force who used three surface ships and 12 aircraft, according to the military. — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026

Ground crews and least three aircraft responded to the fire, according to Cal Fire’s incident page. — Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 1 July 2026

Such systems are increasingly being explored for military aircraft, drones, autonomous platforms, and space missions. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 30 June 2026

Its Western aircraft, even in limited numbers, can magnify those effects if employed as part of a broader campaign rather than as isolated tactical assets. — David A. Deptula, Forbes.com, 30 June 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