aviation

noun

avi·​a·​tion ˌā-vē-ˈā-shən 

ˌa-

often attributive

1

: the operation of aircraft

a pioneer in the early days of aviation

a career in aviation

sometimes, specifically : the operation of heavier-than-air aircraft

Fascinated from that moment on by aviation, [John] Montgomery pursued pioneering experiments in the design of a heavier-than-air glider …

—Kevin Starr

2

: military airplanes

carrier-based aviation

3

: airplane manufacture, development, and design

By that time, [Theodore P.] Wright already had established himself as a leading figure in American aviation.

—Michael Rothschild

Examples of aviation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The business model is simple: passengers can book a call with a U.S.-based commercial pilot, active or retired, to discuss a recent flight, safety concerns or even aviation news. —Adaira Landry, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025

According to reports in the Ukrainian press, the A.I. had been trained to recognize targets using images of old Soviet warplanes on display in an aviation museum east of Kyiv. —Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 14 July 2025

On May 12, 2020, a plane crashed into Miramar Commons shopping center, killing an aviation student and injuring a flight instructor. —Isabel Rivera, Miami Herald, 14 July 2025

Fifteen years ago this month, my father died in a commercial aviation accident, a moment that split my life into a before and an after. —Belal Aftab, Mercury News, 13 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

French, from Latin avis

First Known Use

1865, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing aviation

• general aviation

Rhymes for aviation

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation

Kids Definition

aviation

noun

avi·​a·​tion ˌā-vē-ˈā-shən 

ˌav-ē-

: the operation of aircraft (as airplanes or helicopters) that are heavier than air