airplane

noun

air·​plane ˈer-ˌplān 

: a powered heavier-than-air aircraft with fixed wings from which it derives most of its lift

Illustration of airplane

• 1 weather radar
• 2 cockpit
• 3 jet engine
• 4 engine pod
• 5 pylon
• 6 wing
• 7 vertical stabilizer
• 8 rudder
• 9 10 tabs
• 11 elevator
• 12 horizontal stabilizer
• 13 inboard flap
• 14 inboard spoiler
• 15 16 tabs
• 17 aileron
• 18 outboard flap
• 19 outboard spoiler
• 20 sound suppressor
• 21 thrust reverser
• 22 cabin air intake
• 23 fuselage
• 24 nose landing gear

Synonyms of airplane

• plane
• aeroplane
• airliner

Examples of airplane in a Sentence

my uncle learned how to fly an airplane while serving in the air force

Recent Examples on the Web

Four people were killed on May 14 when a medical transport airplane crashed in New Mexico and caused a fire, authorities said. —Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 14 May 2026

The Chargers essentially lived on an airplane last season, traveling more miles than any other NFL team. —Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026

Yet this is also a meeting of the world’s two most powerful presidents, so ever present amid the discussions of airplane and soybean purchases will be the fates of two other nations, Iran and Taiwan. —Vivian Salama, The Atlantic, 14 May 2026

American Winds College of Aeronautics, a local flight school, confirmed all of its airplanes are safe in their hangars and accounted for. —Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 14 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

alteration of aeroplane

First Known Use

1906, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing airplane

• airplane mode

Rhymes for airplane

• abstain
• alkane
• arcane
• arraign
• attain
• backplane
• betaine
• biplane
• blockchain
• butane
• campaign
• cetane

Kids Definition

airplane

noun

air·​plane ˈa(ə)r-ˌplān 

ˈe(ə)r-

: a fixed-wing heavier-than-air aircraft that is driven by a propeller or by a forceful stream of gases backward and is supported by the reaction of the air against its wings