aviator

noun

avi·​a·​tor ˈā-vē-ˌā-tər  ˈa- 

plural aviators

1

: the operator or pilot of an aircraft and especially an airplane

2

aviators plural : aviator glasses

The heat had begun to settle in, and as she hit the sidewalk, she slipped on her new sunglasses, a trendy pair of aviators.

—Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Synonyms

• airman
• birdman
• flier
• flyer
• pilot

Examples of aviator in a Sentence

the solo flight from New York to Paris by the aviator Charles Lindbergh captured the imagination of people around the world

Recent Examples on the Web

With aviators on, hair thickly gelled and a crisp white uniform, Iceman is a smooth-talking pilot with skills to match. —Hank Sanders, New York Times, 2 Apr. 2025

Judge Settle also called out the Trump administration for seemingly disregarding the service history of the transgender soldiers who brought the case, such as the Commander Emily Shilling, a naval aviator with 19 years of service who flew 60 combat missions before becoming a Navy test pilot. —Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 28 Mar. 2025

Also on that flight were his older brother Mark, 82-year-old aviator Wally Funk and 18-year-old Oliver Daemen, who scored his ticket when an unnamed auction winner backed out of collecting his prize. —Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 27 Feb. 2025

Designer Michael Kors directly referenced Steinem as an inspiration for his fall 2023 collection, which was filled with low-slung belts, aviators, and oversized jewelry. —Leah Bourne, Glamour, 25 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1868, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing aviator

• aviator glasses
• aviator sunglasses

Rhymes for aviator

• activator
• actuator
• agitator
• alligator
• allocator
• alternator
• animator
• annotator
• applicator
• arbitrator
• aspirator
• calculator

Kids Definition

aviator

noun

avi·​a·​tor ˈā-vē-ˌāt-ər  ˈav-ē- 

: pilot entry 1 sense 3