airborne

adjective

air·​borne ˈer-ˌbȯrn 

1

: done or being in the air : being off the ground: such as

a

: carried through the air (as by an aircraft)

b

: supported especially by aerodynamic forces or propelled through the air by force

a plane becoming airborne

c

: transported or carried by the air

airborne allergens

2

: trained for deployment by air and especially by parachute

airborne troops

Examples of airborne in a Sentence

Once the plane was airborne I loosened my seat belt.

Thousands of airborne troops parachuted behind enemy lines.

Recent Examples on the Web

Measles is an airborne disease that can cause serious health consequences, including death, especially for young and unvaccinated children. —Deidre McPhillips, CNN, 7 Feb. 2025

East Chicago and Gary schoolchildren are exposed to higher levels of airborne toxins than anywhere in the country, data said. —Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2025

Researchers compared airborne radar images taken at four different points of time to measure the motion of the landslides in three dimensions, Handwerger said. —Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 5 Feb. 2025

The rapid automation of warfare—airborne and undersea drones, unmanned ships and planes, and weapons operated by artificial intelligence—suggests that the battlefield of the future may contain far fewer soldiers. —Dexter Filkins, The New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1637, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

airborne

adjective

air·​borne ˈa(ə)r-ˌbōrn 

-ˌbȯrn,

ˈe(ə)r-

: supported or transported by air

airborne troops

Medical Definition

airborne

adjective

air·​borne -ˌbōrn 

: carried or transported by the air

airborne allergens

airborne bacteria