noun
cockpit
KOK-piht
noun
1
The compartment in an aircraft, spacecraft, or racing car where the pilot or driver sits and controls it.
"The pilot ran through the checklist before takeoff from the cockpit."
"Sparks flew as the driver adjusted the dials inside the cockpit."
2
A site of ongoing conflict or struggle, used figuratively.
"The region became a cockpit of rival empires for centuries."
How to Use Cockpit
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe control area of a plane, spacecraft, or racing car, where the pilot or driver sits.
Common pairings
the cockpit crew
inside the cockpit
Word Forms
cockpits plural, cockpits plural
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Etymology
Originally a pit built for staging cockfights; the sense later extended to any small enclosed control area, including a ship's or aircraft's command space.