test pilot

noun

: a pilot who specializes in putting new or experimental airplanes through maneuvers designed to test them (as for strength) by producing strains in excess of normal

Examples of test pilot in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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In Green Lantern, Reynolds portrayed Hal Jordan, a test pilot who is granted superpowers and joins an intergalactic police force via an all-powerful green ring that grants him his powers. Tommy McArdle, People.com, 24 Apr. 2025 Emily Shilling, one of the transgender soldiers who brought the case, is a naval aviator with 19 years of service and flew 60 combat missions before becoming a Navy test pilot. Devin Dwyer, ABC News, 24 Apr. 2025 The new season gets off to a strong start in its opening sequence, in which Cassian steals an imperial fighter ship, posing as a test pilot. Noel Murray, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2025 In 1993, Williams was selected to become a naval test pilot and graduated from the course that same year. Sean Mowbray, Discover Magazine, 18 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for test pilot

Word History

First Known Use

1917, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of test pilot was in 1917

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Cite this Entry

“Test pilot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/test%20pilot. Accessed 2 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

test pilot

noun
: a pilot who puts new aircraft through tests

More from Merriam-Webster on test pilot

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