aviator

noun

avi·​a·​tor ˈā-vē-ˌā-tər How to pronounce aviator (audio) ˈa- How to pronounce aviator (audio)
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

Example Sentences

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 Jessie paired the new designs with a cowboy hat, aviators, and white cowboy boots. Katie Bowlby, Country Living, 16 Apr. 2023 The aviator flew 2,543 extraction missions in Vietnam, according to the military. Phil Gast, CNN, 10 Apr. 2023 The actor obtained his pilot’s license in 1994 and is an experienced aviator. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 8 May 2023 Hopefully, if there are lessons to learn from the collision in March, the black boxes recovered from the crash sites will help Army aviators prevent future tragedy. Popular Mechanics, 26 Apr. 2023 Glover is a 46-year-old naval aviator who returned to Earth from his first spaceflight in 2021 after piloting the second crewed flight of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft and spending nearly six months aboard the International Space Station. Jackie Wattles, CNN, 3 Apr. 2023 Majors plays Jesse Brown, who faced prejudice as the Navy's first Black aviator but found an important wingman in white pilot Tom Hudner (Powell) outside of the cockpit as well as when heading into battle during the Korean War. Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 23 Nov. 2022 In one of this stodgy movie’s few quirky touches, the aviator winds himself up to fly by staring into a mirror while reciting insults directed at him in the past. Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 21 Nov. 2022 The Price Is Right host served as a naval aviator during World War II. Alexis Chestnov, Peoplemag, 10 Nov. 2022 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'aviator.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1868, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of aviator was in 1868

Dictionary Entries Near aviator

Cite this Entry

“Aviator.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aviator. Accessed 1 Jun. 2023.

Kids Definition

aviator

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

More from Merriam-Webster on aviator

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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