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

Jumping behind the steering wheel of one of the boats Nordstrom sails on feels like crawling into the cockpit of a race car rather than the cabin of an elegant yacht. — Stefano Pozzebon, CNN Money, 28 Sep. 2026

The opposite is true for our pal Shikishima, who has absolutely no interest in ever climbing back into the cockpit of a fight plane. — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 26 Sep. 2026

At the center lies a luxurious panoramic salon with 360-degree views and a sliding glass partition that opens to the expansive aft cockpit. — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 24 Sep. 2026

Separately, the Pentagon is investigating how sensitive F-35 components — including a cockpit canopy with radar-absorbent coating — were diverted from an Australian repair hub to Hong Kong, where Chinese authorities are reportedly now holding them. — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 24 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1556, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing cockpit

• cockpit voice recorder

Rhymes for cockpit

• acquit
• admit
• armpit
• backlit
• befit
• commit
• dalit
• dendrite
• emit
• illite
• misfit
• moonlit

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