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

Edwards, an Oregon native, spent two decades in naval aviation and logged more than 2,000 flight hours. — Christopher Cann, USA Today, 8 July 2026

Jensen’s friend and fellow aviation student Noah Sundberg had a Norway flag wrapped around his shoulders. — Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 8 July 2026

The offer comes amid a period of stress for the global aviation sector, as airlines navigate a jet fuel squeeze caused by the conflict in the Middle East. — Hugh Leask, CNBC, 6 July 2026

Others borrow from aviation, where leasing is common, so satellite leasing now lets operators rent a spacecraft instead of owning one, freeing capital for newer entrants. — Charlotte Kiang, Forbes.com, 9 July 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