payload

noun

pay·​load ˈpā-ˌlōd How to pronounce payload (audio)
plural payloads
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 people or things (such as passengers or instruments) necessary to the purpose of the flight
NASA's first post-Challenger launching is tentatively set for May 1. Its payload, the NOAA-G weather satellite, will be lofted by an expendable Scout rocket. J. Eberhart
Their objective was to size the airplane according to its intended payload. Clive Irving
2
: the weight of a payload
… the Bronco had a payload of 2000 pounds.Darryl Young
Maximum fuel load is 3,550 pounds, leaving a payload of just 360 pounds with full tanks.J. Mac McClellan
3
: the destructive component carried by a missile or bomb
… they did not fail to realize that a missile powerful enough to put a satellite into orbit could also deliver a nuclear payload to Washington, D.C., or New York, or Chicago, or any major American city.Alex Wellerstein
also : something likened to such a payload
American computer security experts were first to spot another worm whose virus payload was contained within an e-mail that masqueraded as a virus alert from Symantec. Pacific Business News
Thus, a potential pitfall for using adenoviruses as a vaccine delivery system is that a person's immune system may end up responding more to the adenovirus itself than the vaccine's genetic payloadBeth Mole

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 on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The truck claims a superior payload of 2,500 pounds and a towing capacity of 11,000 pounds. Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 29 Nov. 2024 Also flying were payloads for Astranis Space Technologies and Gravity Space headed for geostationary orbits. Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel, 27 Nov. 2024 The payload is 125% heavier than steel, allowing waterfowl hunters to use smaller shot size without sacrificing range or performance. Chris Dorsey, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024 This new space vehicle was designed to transport humans, cargo and payloads to Earth’s orbit, the moon and Mars. Alexis Simmerman, Austin American-Statesman, 21 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for payload 

Word History

First Known Use

1914, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of payload was in 1914

Dictionary Entries Near payload

Cite this Entry

“Payload.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/payload. Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

payload

noun
pay·​load ˈpā-ˌlōd How to pronounce payload (audio)
: something (as cargo, passengers, instruments, or explosives) carried by a vehicle in addition to what is necessary for its operation

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