aviation

noun

avi·​a·​tion ˌā-vē-ˈā-shən 

ˌa-

often attributive

1

: the operation of aircraft

a pioneer in the early days of aviation

a career in aviation

sometimes, specifically : the operation of heavier-than-air aircraft

Fascinated from that moment on by aviation, [John] Montgomery pursued pioneering experiments in the design of a heavier-than-air glider …

—Kevin Starr

2

: military airplanes

carrier-based aviation

3

: airplane manufacture, development, and design

By that time, [Theodore P.] Wright already had established himself as a leading figure in American aviation.

—Michael Rothschild

Examples of aviation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

If the company gets its jets green-lit by international authorities, that could increase price competition among the aviation behemoths. —Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 16 July 2024

Those inconveniences have hit people far beyond Israel’s borders, affecting not only aviation but also maritime shipping. —Tribune News Service, Hartford Courant, 15 July 2024

Over 1,000 volunteers helped pull together the two-day event full of aviation experiences and performances, with a dazzling pyrotechnical finale sequence to close out the night, according to Darcy Brewer, executive director of the air show. —Bailey Stover, Sacramento Bee, 14 July 2024

New research by the nonprofit World Resources Institute's Global Forest Watch Initiative and the University of Maryland found the 2023 Canadian wildfires released 3 billion tons of carbon dioxide — nearly four times the carbon emissions of the global aviation sector in 2022. —Keith Matheny, Detroit Free Press, 12 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

French, from Latin avis

First Known Use

1865, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing aviation

• general aviation

Kids Definition

aviation

noun

avi·​a·​tion ˌā-vē-ˈā-shən 

ˌav-ē-

: the operation of aircraft (as airplanes or helicopters) that are heavier than air