shuttle

1 of 2

noun

shut·​tle ˈshə-tᵊl 

1

a

: a device used in weaving for passing the thread of the weft between the threads of the warp

b

: a spindle-shaped device holding the thread in tatting, knotting, or netting

c

: a sliding thread holder for the lower thread of a sewing machine that carries the lower thread through a loop of the upper thread to make a stitch

2

: shuttlecock

3

a

: a going back and forth regularly over an often short route by a vehicle

b(1)

: an established route used in a shuttle

(2)

: a vehicle used in a shuttle

a shuttle bus

c

: space shuttle

shuttleless adjective

shuttle

2 of 2

verb

shuttled; shuttling ˈshə-tᵊl-iŋ 

ˈshət-liŋ

transitive verb

1

: to cause to move or travel back and forth frequently

2

: to transport in, by, or as if by a shuttle

shuttled them to school

intransitive verb

1

: to move or travel back and forth frequently

2

: to move by or as if by a shuttle

Examples of shuttle in a Sentence

Noun

A shuttle takes people from the parking lot to the airport.

Verb

We shuttled between the city and the country all summer.

A bus shuttled people from the parking lot to the dock.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Riders are able to order a ride up to three hours in advance via an app, get picked up and dropped off where needed via a shuttle bus, which at times have other passengers on board. —Alex Malm, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025

In addition to the new gates, there will be a new shuttle system, international passenger arrival processing facility, shopping, and dining locations. —Michael Cappetta, Travel + Leisure, 6 Feb. 2025

Verb

Patel ran part of a sprawling human smuggling scheme and recruited Steve Shand to shuttle the migrants across the border. —CBS News, 7 Feb. 2025

Del Sol deftly shuttles between these various plot lines, letting their outlandish sensibilities run amok. —Manuel Betancourt, Variety, 26 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English shittle, shutle, from Old English scutel, scytel dart; akin to Old Norse skutill bolt, Old English scēotan to shoot — more at shoot

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1550, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing shuttle

• shuttle diplomacy
• space shuttle

Kids Definition

shuttle

1 of 2 noun

shut·​tle ˈshət-ᵊl 

1

: an instrument used in weaving to carry the thread back and forth from side to side through the threads that run lengthwise

2

a

: a vehicle that goes back and forth regularly over an often short route

the airport shuttle

space shuttle

b

: an established route used by a shuttle

shuttle

2 of 2 verb

shuttled; shuttling ˈshət-liŋ 

-ᵊl-iŋ

1

: to move or travel back and forth often

2

: to transport in, by, or as if by a shuttle

shuttled the children to school