aviator

noun

avi·​a·​tor ˈā-vē-ˌā-tər How to pronounce aviator (audio) ˈa- How to pronounce aviator (audio)
plural aviators
Synonyms of aviatornext
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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Axiom Space’s Director of Human Spaceflight and former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson is the mission commander with aviator John Shoffner as pilot and two mission specialist seats paid for by the Saudi Space Commission, Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali AlQarni. Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2026 The backstory Il Pellicano begins with a love story, that of Michael Graham, a Royal Air Force aviator, and Patsy Daszel, an American socialite, who met in the mid-1950s at a party in Pelican Point, California. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Apr. 2026 The museum has a collection of artifacts and aircrafts such as the Apollo 9 Command Module, a mock-up of the Lockheed Vega 5B, flown by Amelia Earhart, B-58 Hustler flight plans and various pictures of famous aviators and airplanes. Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026 The second aviator aboard the aircraft — the weapons systems officer — was rescued nearly two days later. Jonathan J. Cooper, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for aviator

Word History

First Known Use

1868, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of aviator was in 1868

Cite this Entry

“Aviator.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aviator. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

aviator

noun
avi·​a·​tor ˈā-vē-ˌāt-ər How to pronounce aviator (audio) ˈav-ē- How to pronounce aviator (audio)

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