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

Fuel makes up about 50% of a ship’s expense, said Neil Roberts, head of marine and aviation at Lloyd’s Market Association, which provides technical expertise to Lloyd’s maritime insurance business. —David Goldman, CNN Money, 23 June 2026

Other aviation incidents have also been reported in recent days. —Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 23 June 2026

The speed and scale of these disruptions prompted the United Nations aviation agency’s assembly to rebuke Russia in October 2025 for satellite interference. —Zita Ballinger Fletcher, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026

Heavy transport, aviation, marine, and long-haul freight need energy-dense fuels, and this year’s jet fuel spike showed why alternatives matter. —Vimal Kapur, Fortune, 23 June 2026

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

• ablation
• aeration
• bination
• carnation
• cassation
• castration
• causation
• centration
• cessation
• cetacean
• chelation
• citation

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