bombardier

noun bom·bar·dier \ ˌbäm-bə-ˈdir , -bər- \

Updated on: 15 May 2018

Definition of bombardier

1 a archaic : artilleryman

b : a noncommissioned officer in the British artillery

2 : a bomber-crew member who releases the bombs

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Recent Examples of bombardier from the Web

By then, Hogenson was serving as a bombardier in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II when the Soviet Union and America joined the fight against Germany, and that alliance saved his life.

— hal bernton, The Seattle Times, "Seattle’s now-vacant Russian consul residence rekindles memories of family that built it," 28 Apr. 2018
After washing out of pilot school, he was trained as a bombardier and then assigned to a B-24 Liberator.

— peter rowe, sandiegouniontribune.com, "In Ramona, an airplane and an aviator provide living lessons on World War II," 20 Apr. 2018
Between Yale and Wharton, Tim was an officer in the US Navy, serving as a bombardier navigator aboard Douglas A3D Skywarrior aircraft.

— hartford courant, courant.com, "Timothy Cooley," 21 Mar. 2018
Dad enlisted in 1941 in the Army Air Corps as a navigator bombardier with the rank of 2nd Lieutenant.

— courant.com, "Harold R. Frazier," 18 Mar. 2018
Asian bombardier beetles aren’t the only creatures in nature who can survive being swallowed.

— jason daley, Smithsonian, "How Exploding Beetles Can Survive Being Eaten Alive," 21 Feb. 2018
To better understand the beetle’s defenses, two biologists from Kobe University fed a species of bombardier beetle to two different species of toad collected from forests in central Japan.

— douglas quenqua, New York Times, "Toads Eat Beetles. Sometimes, Beetles Make Them Regret Their Meal Choice.," 6 Feb. 2018
Among them bombardiers, mechanics, instructors, navigators, crew chiefs, nurses, cooks.

— mark curnutte, Cincinnati.com, "Tuskegee Airman served during WWII. Today, he worries about freedoms at home.," 26 Dec. 2017
Each bomber had a 10-man crew: two pilots, a bombardier, a navigator, a radio operator, a tail gunner, a ball turret gunner, two waist gunners and a top turret gunner.

— david owens, courant.com, "World War II B-17 Bomber Will Fly Over Greater Hartford This Weekend; Be Open For Tours," 14 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bombardier.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of bombardier

borrowed from Middle French, "one in charge of a bombard," from bombarde ¹bombard + -ier -eer

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1562

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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BOMBARDIER Defined for English Language Learners

bombardier

noun

Definition of bombardier for English Language Learners

: the person in a military aircraft who controls when the bombs are dropped
: an officer who operates large guns and has a low rank in the British Army

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