he·li·cop·ter
ˈhe-lə-ˌkäp-tər 
ˈhē-
: an aircraft whose lift is derived from the aerodynamic forces acting on one or more powered rotors turning about substantially vertical axes
helicoptered; helicoptering; helicopters
: to travel by helicopter
: to transport by helicopter
Synonyms
Examples of helicopter in a Sentence
Noun
took a helicopter tour to get a better sense of the grandeur of the Grand Canyon
Recent Examples on the Web
Matjaž Krivic, The Christian Science Monitor, 5 Apr. 2024
Abe was taken by medical helicopter to Nara Medical University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
—TIME, 4 Apr. 2024
Footage of the rescue shows the helicopter crew first honing in on the victim using the aircraft’s thermal imaging camera.
—Abigail Adams, Peoplemag, 3 Apr. 2024
While some are coordinating costly private helicopters out of Port-au-Prince, nongovernment organizations are coordinating rescues, too.
—Char Adams, NBC News, 3 Apr. 2024
From helicopter airport transfers to exclusive terminals, individualized air travel is here to stay.
—Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Apr. 2024
Metcalf, a 19-year veteran with LFD, was treated for burn injuries at the scene before being transported to Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Hospital by helicopter.
—Sarah Al-Arshani, USA TODAY, 31 Mar. 2024
End of carousel The assessment included divers below the surface of the Patapsco River, survey boats and an FBI helicopter, which buzzed over the 985-foot Dali container vessel collecting images that would be used to figure out how to carefully and safely remove the steel and concrete.
—Danny Nguyen, Washington Post, 29 Mar. 2024
Today, China and Russia are pursuing the joint development of helicopters, conventional attack submarines, missiles, and missile-launch early warning systems.
—Hal Brands, Foreign Affairs, 29 Mar. 2024
Derek Blasberg, WSJ, 25 Jan. 2023
If all goes well, recovery teams will helicopter it to a portable clean room to remove its heat shield and back shell and then fly it to a specially prepared facility at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.
—Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American, 15 June 2023
Gerhardt said the agency plans to helicopter pieces of the wreckage to a secure facility in Delaware in the coming days.
—Pete Muntean, CNN, 6 June 2023
Botany crews travel to the island’s rough shores by boat or helicopter to remove weeds.
—Tim Lydon, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Apr. 2023
Early Monday evening, Biden headed to San Diego International Airport to board Marine One to helicopter him to a fundraiser in Rancho Santa Fe.
—Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Mar. 2023
There are helicopter parents and then there are parents who helicopter.
—Derek Blasberg, WSJ, 25 Jan. 2023
For two seasons he’s been able to helicopter to Clippers practices from his home near San Diego.
—Dallas News, 26 July 2021
In fact, the scientists monitoring the eruption were able to helicopter in a save a couple FutureVolc sulfur dioxide monitoring instruments that were trapped by the advancing lava earlier in the eruption.
—Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 20 Jan. 2015
Noun
His semen is extracted into vials that will then be flown by helicopter to a field lab to be gradually frozen.
—Matjaž Krivic, The Christian Science Monitor, 5 Apr. 2024
Abe was taken by medical helicopter to Nara Medical University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
—TIME, 4 Apr. 2024
Footage of the rescue shows the helicopter crew first honing in on the victim using the aircraft’s thermal imaging camera.
—Abigail Adams, Peoplemag, 3 Apr. 2024
While some are coordinating costly private helicopters out of Port-au-Prince, nongovernment organizations are coordinating rescues, too.
—Char Adams, NBC News, 3 Apr. 2024
From helicopter airport transfers to exclusive terminals, individualized air travel is here to stay.
—Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Apr. 2024
Metcalf, a 19-year veteran with LFD, was treated for burn injuries at the scene before being transported to Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Hospital by helicopter.
—Sarah Al-Arshani, USA TODAY, 31 Mar. 2024
End of carousel The assessment included divers below the surface of the Patapsco River, survey boats and an FBI helicopter, which buzzed over the 985-foot Dali container vessel collecting images that would be used to figure out how to carefully and safely remove the steel and concrete.
—Danny Nguyen, Washington Post, 29 Mar. 2024
Today, China and Russia are pursuing the joint development of helicopters, conventional attack submarines, missiles, and missile-launch early warning systems.
—Hal Brands, Foreign Affairs, 29 Mar. 2024
Verb
There are helicopter parents and then there are parents who helicopter.
—Derek Blasberg, WSJ, 25 Jan. 2023
If all goes well, recovery teams will helicopter it to a portable clean room to remove its heat shield and back shell and then fly it to a specially prepared facility at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.
—Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American, 15 June 2023
Gerhardt said the agency plans to helicopter pieces of the wreckage to a secure facility in Delaware in the coming days.
—Pete Muntean, CNN, 6 June 2023
Botany crews travel to the island’s rough shores by boat or helicopter to remove weeds.
—Tim Lydon, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Apr. 2023
Early Monday evening, Biden headed to San Diego International Airport to board Marine One to helicopter him to a fundraiser in Rancho Santa Fe.
—Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Mar. 2023
There are helicopter parents and then there are parents who helicopter.
—Derek Blasberg, WSJ, 25 Jan. 2023
For two seasons he’s been able to helicopter to Clippers practices from his home near San Diego.
—Dallas News, 26 July 2021
In fact, the scientists monitoring the eruption were able to helicopter in a save a couple FutureVolc sulfur dioxide monitoring instruments that were trapped by the advancing lava earlier in the eruption.
—Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 20 Jan. 2015
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'helicopter.' 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
Noun
1887, in the meaning defined above
Verb
1952, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense
Phrases Containing helicopter
Dictionary Entries Near helicopter
Cite this Entry
“Helicopter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/helicopter. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
helicopter
noun
he·li·cop·ter
ˈhel-ə-ˌkäp-tər,
ˈhē-lə-
: an aircraft that is supported in the air by propellers revolving on a vertical axis
More from Merriam-Webster on helicopter
Nglish: Translation of helicopter for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of helicopter for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about helicopter
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