: the structure of an aircraft, rocket vehicle, or missile without the power plant
also
: aircraft
Examples of airframe in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The demonstration was meant to highlight control and coordination, not the airframe itself.
—
Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 29 Jan. 2026
Its products include jet engine components, aerospace fasteners, airframe structures, and forged aluminum wheels for commercial trucks.
—Brett Owens, Forbes.com, 18 Jan. 2026
One of four repair plants in the United States, the Indianapolis location is the company's largest airframe facility in the country.
—Alysa Guffey, IndyStar, 29 Dec. 2025
Its massive Olympus engines could have pushed the envelope further but to go any faster would have heated the airframe beyond safety limits.
—New Atlas, 13 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for airframe
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.
Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 29 Jan. 2026
Its products include jet engine components, aerospace fasteners, airframe structures, and forged aluminum wheels for commercial trucks.
—Brett Owens, Forbes.com, 18 Jan. 2026
One of four repair plants in the United States, the Indianapolis location is the company's largest airframe facility in the country.
—Alysa Guffey, IndyStar, 29 Dec. 2025
Its massive Olympus engines could have pushed the envelope further but to go any faster would have heated the airframe beyond safety limits.
—New Atlas, 13 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for airframe
Cite this Entry
“Airframe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/airframe. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
airframe
noun
air·frame
ˈa(ə)r-ˌfrām 
ˈe(ə)r-
: the structure of an aircraft, rocket vehicle, or missile without the engine and related parts
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
