aircraft

noun

air·​craft ˈer-ˌkraft How to pronounce aircraft (audio)
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
However, the aircraft itself did suffer a lot of damage. Moná Thomas, People.com, 22 May 2025 Police searched the Boeing 777 plane, which had about 339 passengers and 10 crewmembers, after the aircraft landed, according to an airline spokesperson. Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2025 Last year, Etihad announced a $7 billion dollar five-year plan to retrofit and upgrade its current aircraft, including a refresh of cabin interiors and upgraded service offerings, to compensate for further aircraft delivery delays. Dan Murphy,natasha Turak, CNBC, 21 May 2025 While the frames of the fuselage and tail are constructed from steel tubing, the wings and ailerons are wood, and the whole aircraft is wrapped in a synthetic fabric called Ceconite. Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 21 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for aircraft

Word History

First Known Use

1845, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of aircraft was in 1845

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Aircraft.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aircraft. Accessed 28 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

aircraft

noun
air·​craft ˈa(ə)r-ˌkraft How to pronounce aircraft (audio)
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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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