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Definition of airplane

airplane

/ˈɛərpleɪn/
(UK: aeroplane)
air · plane
Plural:airplanes
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airplane Lexical Profile

airplane Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

North American A powered flying vehicle with fixed wings and a weight greater than that of the air it displaces, driven by propellers or jet engines.

Example

"The passengers boarded the airplane an hour before their scheduled flight to Chicago."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for airplane

Word Nuance & Usage

In standard North American English, 'airplane' is the preferred spelling, whereas 'aeroplane' is traditionally used in British and Commonwealth English.

• Rhymes for airplane

• Nearby Words

airman
airmanship
airmass
airplane
airplant
airplay
airport

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in the early 20th century as a North American alteration of the British 'aeroplane', replacing the classical prefix 'aero-' with the native English word 'air'.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

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