noun
airplane
EH-uh-playn
noun
1
A powered aircraft with fixed wings and at least one engine, capable of carrying passengers or cargo.
"The airplane climbed steadily after takeoff."
"They booked seats on the first airplane out in the morning."
verb
1
To travel or transport something by airplane.
"The company airplaned the equipment in to meet the deadline."
How to Use Airplane
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA flying vehicle with wings and engines — the everyday American word for what the British more often call an "aeroplane."
UK vs US
"Airplane" is standard American English; British English traditionally prefers "aeroplane," though "plane" is common in both.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
board an airplane
a commercial airplane
airplane mode
Word Forms
airplaned past tense, airplanes plural, airplanes singular
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Etymology
An American respelling of "aeroplane," itself formed from Greek aer ("air") and French plane, referring to the flat wing surface that generates lift.