airborne

adjective

air·​borne ˈer-ˌbȯrn 

1

: done or being in the air : being off the ground: such as

a

: carried through the air (as by an aircraft)

b

: supported especially by aerodynamic forces or propelled through the air by force

a plane becoming airborne

c

: transported or carried by the air

airborne allergens

2

: trained for deployment by air and especially by parachute

airborne troops

Examples of airborne in a Sentence

Once the plane was airborne I loosened my seat belt.

Thousands of airborne troops parachuted behind enemy lines.

Recent Examples on the Web

However, as fire activity ramps up in May and June, they are expected to be airborne every day. —Brian Maass, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026

The airborne virus can spread when someone coughs or sneezes. —Ashley J. Dimella, FOXNews.com, 3 Apr. 2026

The SwitchBot Air Purifier Table provides a relatively affordable way to eliminate airborne pollutants in rooms of up to 360 square feet. —John R. Delaney, PC Magazine, 2 Apr. 2026

Deploying an anti-drone laser system at the base would reportedly boost protection against airborne threats, according to The New York Times. —Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 1 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1637, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for airborne

• adorn
• blackthorn
• broomcorn
• buckhorn
• buckthorn
• careworn
• firstborn
• foodborne
• forborne
• forewarn
• forlorn
• forsworn

Kids Definition

airborne

adjective

air·​borne ˈa(ə)r-ˌbōrn 

-ˌbȯrn, 

ˈe(ə)r-

: supported or transported by air

airborne troops

Medical Definition

airborne

adjective

air·​borne -ˌbōrn 

: carried or transported by the air

airborne allergens

airborne bacteria