pilot

1 of 3

noun

pi·​lot ˈpī-lət 

1

a

: one employed to steer a ship : helmsman

b

: a person who is qualified and usually licensed to conduct a ship into and out of a port or in specified waters

c

: a person who flies or is qualified to fly an aircraft or spacecraft

2

: guide, leader

3

: cowcatcher

4

: a piece that guides a tool or machine part

5

: a television show produced and filmed or taped as a sample of a proposed series

6

: pilot light sense 1

pilotless

ˈpī-lət-ləs 

adjective

pilot

2 of 3

verb

piloted; piloting; pilots

transitive verb

1

: to act as a guide to : lead or conduct over a usually difficult course

2

a

: to set and conn the course of

pilot a ship

b

: to act as pilot of

pilot a plane

pilot

3 of 3

adjective

: serving as a guiding or tracing device, an activating or auxiliary unit, or a trial apparatus or operation

a pilot study

Synonyms

Noun

• airman
• aviator
• birdman
• flier
• flyer

Verb

• coach
• counsel
• guide
• lead
• mentor
• shepherd
• show
• tutor

Adjective

• developmental
• experimental
• trial

Choose the Right Synonym for pilot

guide, lead, steer, pilot, engineer mean to direct in a course or show the way to be followed.

guide implies intimate knowledge of the way and of all its difficulties and dangers.

guided the scouts through the cave

lead implies showing the way and often keeping those that follow under control and in order.

led his team to victory

steer implies an ability to keep to a course and stresses the capacity of maneuvering correctly.

steered the ship through a narrow channel

pilot suggests guidance over a dangerous or complicated course.

piloted the bill through the Senate

engineer implies finding ways to avoid or overcome difficulties in achieving an end or carrying out a plan.

engineered his son's election to the governorship

Examples of pilot in a Sentence

Noun

the airline is seeking experienced pilots to fly the new airplane

Verb

He is learning how to pilot a helicopter.

He skillfully piloted the ship into port during the storm.

Adjective

The group conducted a pilot program.

a new pilot program to train inner-city residents for jobs in the tech sector

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Mike stages a fake interview — à la the pilot episode, Barbri legal handbook and all — and insists Harvey get rid of his too-fat ties. —Tanya Melendez, EW.com, 9 May 2025

Artificial intelligence — particularly generative AI — drives this resurgence as enterprises rapidly shift from pilot projects to full-scale production deployments. —Tim Bajarin, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025

Verb

A number of unique projects, currently numbering 20 to 25 worldwide, are among the first to pilot the WELL for Residential certification. —Jeffrey Steele, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025

After a decade-long run as one of the most layered and tragic characters ever to pilot spaceships in a certain distant galaxy, Diego Luna is finally ready to say goodbye to Cassian Andor. —Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 18 Apr. 2025

Adjective

The complaint claimed that when Crichton sold Warner Bros. the screenplay for what became the pilot episode of ER, Warner Bros. promised that no subsequent productions derived from ER would go forward without Crichton’s consent. —Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 10 Apr. 2025

The pilot episode of The Baldwins, TLC’s new reality show about actor Alec Baldwin and his family, is one of the darkest and most bizarre hours of television to appear in recent memory. —Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 21 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle French pilote, from Italian pilota, alteration of pedota, from Middle Greek *pēdōtēs, from Greek pēda steering oars, plural of pēdon oar; probably akin to Greek pod-, pous foot — more at foot

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1649, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1915, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing pilot

• automatic pilot
• bush pilot
• pilot biscuit
• pilot engine
• pilot fish
• pilot light
• pilot officer
• pilot whale
• sky pilot
• test pilot

Rhymes for pilot

• eyelet
• islet
• stylet
• autopilot

Kids Definition

pilot

1 of 3 noun

pi·​lot ˈpī-lət 

1

a

: a person who steers a ship

b

: a person qualified to guide a ship into and out of a port or in specified waters

2

: someone who provides guidance and direction : leader

3

: one who flies or is qualified to fly an aircraft or spacecraft

4

: pilot light

pilotless

-ləs 

adjective

pilot

2 of 3 verb

: to act as pilot of : guide

pilot

3 of 3 adjective

: serving as a guiding or tracing device, as an activating or auxiliary unit, or to test a new invention or idea

a pilot study