hovercraft

noun

hov·​er·​craft ˈhə-vər-ˌkraft How to pronounce hovercraft (audio)
ˈhä-
: a vehicle that is supported above the surface of land or water by a cushion of air produced by downwardly directed fans

Examples of hovercraft in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In addition, the shot clock, now the size of a small hovercraft placed on Curry’s back, was ticking down toward zero. David Aldridge, The Athletic, 10 Aug. 2024 But most of us have never seen a hovercraft in real life, and the vehicles haven’t had a big impact on our world. Dev Patnaik, Forbes, 12 Oct. 2024 Despite all the hard thinking, hovercraft have yet to catch on and are still rarely used for Arctic travel and research. Paul Bierman, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 Sep. 2024 The massive search also involved airboats, hovercraft and individual community volunteers. CBS News, 18 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for hovercraft 

Word History

First Known Use

1959, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hovercraft was in 1959

Dictionary Entries Near hovercraft

Cite this Entry

“Hovercraft.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hovercraft. Accessed 24 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

hovercraft

noun
hov·​er·​craft -ˌkraft How to pronounce hovercraft (audio)
: a vehicle supported above the surface of land or water by a cushion of air produced by fans blowing downward

More from Merriam-Webster on hovercraft

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!