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 letter was signed by industry lobby group Airlines for America — whose members include American Airlines (AAL), Delta (DAL) and United (UAL) — and other unions representing aviation workers, including the Air Line Pilots Association. —Diksha Madhok, CNN, 12 Apr. 2024

Charlotte Douglas Airport’s aviation director has the legal authority to set policies, procedures, rules and regulations according city ordinances. —Chase Jordan, Charlotte Observer, 10 Apr. 2024

Born March 13, 1927 in Los Angeles, Wallin grew up in a Van Nuys orphanage, learned to play drums, and later served as a Navy aviation radio operator during World War II. —Jon Burlingame, Variety, 10 Apr. 2024

At Boeing, five straight years of disastrous airplane design and quality problems have ripped apart its reputation as America’s premier aviation icon. —Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 10 Apr. 2024

They were certified by the aviation authority in China in Sep. 2022, and flew their first planes commercially within its home-country a year ago. —Byprarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 8 Apr. 2024

But the design was so appealing that William P. Lear, whose inventions included the first car radio and the eight-track tape, immediately grasped its potential to revolutionize aviation. —The Editors, Robb Report, 28 Mar. 2024

Russian President Vladimir Putin sits in the cockpit of a helicopter simulator at an aviation facility in Torzhok on Wednesday. —Reuters, NBC News, 28 Mar. 2024

Part of the reason for this phobia being so common is the rapid growth of the aviation industry. —Olivia Morelli, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

French, from Latin avis

First Known Use

1865, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing aviation

• general aviation

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