airman

noun

air·​man ˈer-mən 

plural airmen

1

: a civilian or military pilot, aviator, or aviation technician

2

: an enlisted person in the air force: such as

a

: an enlisted person of one of the four ranks below senior airman

b

: an enlisted person ranking above an airman basic and below an airman first class

Synonyms of airman

• pilot
• aviator

Examples of airman in a Sentence

her father was an airman who was shot down in Vietnam

Recent Examples on the Web

The Army suspended the airmen and launched a formal safety investigation—but the Pentagon overrode Army leadership, immediately lifting the suspension and terminating the safety review. — Brynn Tannehill, The Atlantic, 21 July 2026

The airman was identified as Airman 1st Class Cedric Eneluna, a member of the 30th Civil Engineer Squadron’s Pavements and Equipment Flight, according to the base’s Space Launch Delta 30 Public Affairs office. — Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 20 July 2026

The issue, announced Tuesday, affected only security forces airmen, who serve as the Air Force's law enforcement and security personnel. — Elise Spenner, ABC News, 9 July 2026

Four women and a 16-year-old girl accused US airman Hannes Marschalek of indecent exposure in 2022, while he was stationed at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk, the largest US airbase in the UK, said The Guardian. — Will Barker, TheWeek, 8 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1873, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing airman

• airman basic
• airman first class
• senior airman

Rhymes for airman

• chairman
• chairmen
• lehrman
• cochairman

Kids Definition

airman

noun

air·​man -mən 

1

: pilot entry 1 sense 3, aviator

2

a

: an enlisted person in the air force

b

: an enlisted person in the air force with a rank below that of sergeant

especially : one with the rank just below that of airman first class