aircraft

noun

air·​craft ˈer-ˌkraft How to pronounce aircraft (audio)
plural aircraft
Synonyms of aircraftnext
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
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.
Helicopters, both military and private aircraft that in better days would be used for commercial tours, take off packed with aid before returning with survivors in need of medical care. — Surendra Phuyal, NBC news, 1 Sep. 2026 The spokesperson noted that the aircraft returned safely with all 178 customers and seven crew members. — Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026 There will be 12 each on the carrier’s Airbus A220 and A320 planes, and 16 on its A321 aircraft. — Nathan Diller, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026 The company has described the platform as capable of supporting missions including intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, electronic warfare and counter-uncrewed aircraft operations. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 1 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for aircraft

Word History

First Known Use

1845, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of aircraft was in 1845

Phrases Containing aircraft

Rhymes for aircraft

See All Rhymes for aircraft

Browse Nearby Words

air cover
aircraft
aircraft carrier
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Cite this Entry

“Aircraft.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aircraft. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

aircraft

noun
air·​craft ˈa(ə)r-ˌkraft How to pronounce aircraft (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on aircraft

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for aircraft

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about aircraft

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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