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Definition of airlift

airlift

/ˈɛərlɪft/
air · lift
Plural:airlifts
•
Past Simple:airlifted
•
Past Participle:airlifted
•
Present Participle:airlifting
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airlift Lexical Profile

airlift Game Scores & Validity

• verb

1

To transport people or supplies by aircraft, typically in an emergency or to an inaccessible area.

Example

"Rescue teams had to airlift the injured hikers from the mountain ridge to the nearest hospital."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for airlift

• noun

1

An act or operation of transporting people, food, or medical supplies by aircraft, especially during an emergency or when surface routes are blocked.

Example

"The international relief agency organized a massive airlift to deliver clean water and medicine to the flooded region."

• Rhymes for airlift

• Nearby Words

airing
airless
airlessness
airlift
airline
airliner
airlock

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in the 1940s as a compound of 'air' and 'lift', the term gained widespread prominence during the Berlin Airlift of 1948–1949, when Allied forces supplied West Berlin entirely by aircraft.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Airlift. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/airlift
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