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

In addition, the NTSB found that between October 2021 and December 2024, there had been 15,214 occurrences between commercial airplanes and helicopters in which the aircraft were within one nautical mile of each other with a vertical separation of less than 400 feet. —Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 18 Dec. 2025

An airplane that burned uranium was precisely that. —Colin Jones, New Yorker, 18 Dec. 2025

Great for winter layering, it is made with soft fleece and is sure to become your go-to ‘throw on’ jacket—and your favorite cozy airplane layer when things get chilly. —Amber Cardullo, Travel + Leisure, 18 Dec. 2025

With that in mind, Pathak revealed that to avoid getting sick, a window seat far from the bathroom is the best place to sit on an airplane. —Ashley J. Dimella, FOXNews.com, 13 Dec. 2025

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