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

Hardware as varied as air-defense systems, radars, missiles and aircraft packed the grounds indoors and out. —Reuters, NBC News, 14 Nov. 2024

The carrier will operate the new flights on an Airbus A320 aircraft with room for 174 passengers. —Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2024

Production of critical aircraft, including the 737 MAX, was halted during the strike, impacting the aerospace supply chain and delaying aircraft deliveries to airlines. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024

Boeing's finances have taken a serious hit as a result of the strike, which halted production of 737, 767 and 777 aircraft in its Seattle-area plants. —Zach Wichter, USA TODAY, 5 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1845, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing aircraft

• aircraft carrier
• rotary-wing aircraft

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