payload

noun pay·load \ ˈpā-ˌlōd \

|Updated on: 17 Jun 2018

Definition of payload

1 : the load carried by a vehicle exclusive of what is necessary for its operation; especially : the load carried by an aircraft or spacecraft consisting of things (such as passengers or instruments) necessary to the purpose of the flight

2 : the weight of a payload

See payload defined for English-language learners

See payload defined for kids

Examples of payload in a Sentence

The truck is carrying a payload of 2,580 pounds.
the space shuttle can carry a maximum payload of approximately 50,000 pounds

Recent Examples of payload from the Web

Then, less than two weeks before go-time, the agency will give them details about orbit, payload, and pad.

— sarah scoles, WIRED, "Why Darpa Wants Everyone to Launch Tiny Satellites," 30 May 2018
The science payload from NASA and the German Centre for Geosciences includes two identical satellites for the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment.

— john antczak, OrlandoSentinel.com, "SpaceX launches water mapping science probe GRACE-FO from California," 24 May 2018
Pricing, fuel economy, towing capacity and payload will be available closer to when the truck goes on sale.

— mark phelan, Detroit Free Press, "First Drive: 2019 Chevy Silverado adds turbo-4 engine, new fuel-saving tech," 18 May 2018
But the second stage of the Falcon 9 — the top of the rocket that carries the payload into orbit — is way more difficult to recover.

— loren grush, The Verge, "How Elon Musk could recover rockets with balloons — just not the party kind," 18 Apr. 2018
SpaceX has launched its 50th Falcon 9 Rocket, with the largest satellite payload the firm has sent into space so far.

— flora carr, Time, "SpaceX Just Launched Its 50th Falcon 9 Rocket Into Space," 6 Mar. 2018
Ford isn't yet releasing horsepower, fuel economy, payload or towing capacity.

— chicago tribune, chicagotribune.com, "Pickups, SUVs are king of the hill for 2019," 18 Jan. 2018
Commentary during a webcast of the launch appeared to confirm that the fairings housing the payload were successfully deployed.

— anthony capaccio, Bloomberg.com, "Classified Military Satellite Goes Missing After SpaceX Launch," 9 Jan. 2018
Government and industry officials have said that the payload failed to separate from the second stage of the rocket and plunged back into the atmosphere.

— david freeman, NBC News, "Did SpaceX just lose a secret U.S. spy satellite?," 9 Jan. 2018

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

First Known Use of payload

1914

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

payload Synonyms

Synonyms

burden, cargo, draft, freight, haul, lading, load, loading, weight;

Related Words

consignment;

boatload, carload, shipload, trainload, truckload, wagonload;

ballast, deadweight;

overload, surcharge;

bale, bundle, pack, package, packet, parcel, shipment;

manifest;

body, bulk, mass;

PAYLOAD Defined for English Language Learners

payload

noun

Definition of payload for English Language Learners

: the amount of goods or material that is carried by a vehicle (such as a truck)
: the things (such as passengers or bombs) that are carried by an aircraft or spacecraft
: the weight of a payload