zeppelin

noun

zep·​pe·​lin ˈze-p(ə-)lən 

: a rigid airship consisting of a cylindrical trussed and covered frame supported by internal gas cells

broadly : airship

Illustration of zeppelin

Examples of zeppelin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The first zeppelin, the Luftschiff Zeppelin, or LZ, took to the air over Lake Constance near Friedrichshafen, Germany. —USA Today, 17 June 2026

Dolan’s presence on the zeppelin had been kept a secret from his wife and mother to preserve the surprise. —Paul Eisenberg, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026

Rigid airships, such as zeppelins, consist of a light framework of aluminum-alloy girders that is covered with fabric. —Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 1 May 2026

Aren’t airplanes, helicopters, gliders, blimps, zeppelins, and rockets already doing a great job of moving people through the atmosphere? —New Atlas, 27 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin

First Known Use

1908, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for zeppelin

• kraepelin

Kids Definition

zeppelin

noun

zep·​pe·​lin ˈzep-(ə-)lən 

: a long cylindrical passenger balloon that has a metal frame and is driven through the air by engines carried on its underside

Biographical Definition

Zeppelin

biographical name

Zep·​pe·​lin ˌtse-pə-ˈlēn  ˈze-p(ə-)lən 

Ferdinand (Adolf August Heinrich) 1838–1917 Graf von Zeppelin German general and aeronaut