aircraft

noun

air·​craft ˈer-ˌkraft 

plural aircraft

often attributive

: a vehicle (such as an airplane or balloon) for traveling through the air

Examples of aircraft in a Sentence

a company that manufactures aircraft

Recent Examples on the Web

The Air Force has already started repainting some of the aircraft designated as presidential jets. —George Petras, USA Today, 19 Feb. 2026

JetBlue emergency Smoke in a JetBlue aircraft cabin forced passengers to evacuate on the taxiway, temporarily shutting down Newark Airport on Wednesday. —Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 19 Feb. 2026

The Canadian carrier will operate the flight five times per week year-round, starting May 21, on Embraer E195-E2 aircraft. —Alex Driggars, Austin American Statesman, 18 Feb. 2026

Police officers were dispatched to Gate 32 at the airport, where multiple police cars surrounded the aircraft, according to KTRK. —Clara McMichael, ABC News, 18 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1845, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing aircraft

• aircraft carrier
• rotary-wing aircraft

Rhymes for aircraft

• abaft
• camshaft
• crankshaft
• downdraft
• engraft
• priestcraft
• redraft
• schoolcraft
• spacecraft
• stagecraft
• statecraft
• updraft

Kids Definition

aircraft

noun

air·​craft ˈa(ə)r-ˌkraft 

ˈe(ə)r-

plural aircraft

: a machine (as an airplane, glider, or helicopter) that can travel through the air and that is supported either by its own buoyancy or by the action of the air against its surfaces