cockpit

noun

cock·​pit ˈkäk-ˌpit 

1

a

: a pit or enclosure for cockfights

b

: a place noted for especially bloody, violent, or long-continued conflict

2

obsolete : the pit of a theater

3

: a compartment in a sailing warship used as quarters for junior officers and for treatment of the wounded in an engagement

4

: a space or compartment in a usually small vehicle (such as a boat, airplane, or automobile) from which it is steered, piloted, or driven see airplane illustration

Examples of cockpit in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In the cockpit is a woman — the game’s heroine Kay Voss — and everything’s going wrong. —Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 11 July 2024

However, the terrifying drop was likely a mishap in the cockpit and not a flaw with the plane itself, the Wall Street Journal reported Friday. —Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 14 June 2024

The agency's final report recommends improved warning systems be installed in airplane cockpits. —Zach Wichter, USA TODAY, 5 June 2024

That would be a challenge to fit into the tight confines of a single-seater cockpit, but that's not the only reason Wickens and Formula E haven't gone that route. —Jonathan M. Gitlin, Ars Technica, 3 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1556, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing cockpit

• cockpit voice recorder

Kids Definition

cockpit

noun

cock·​pit ˈkäk-ˌpit 

: a space or compartment in a usually small vehicle (as a boat, airplane, or automobile) from which it is steered, piloted, or driven