noun
dogfight
DOG-fyt
noun
1
A close, fast-moving aerial battle between fighter aircraft.
"The pilot described the dogfight over the channel as the most intense of the war."
verb
1
To fight another aircraft in close aerial combat.
"The two jets dogfought for several minutes before one broke off."
How to Use Dogfight
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn air battle between fighter planes at close range.
Common pairings
aerial dogfight
engage in a dogfight
Word Forms
dogfought past tense, dogfights plural, dogfights singular
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Etymology
From "dog" + "fight," likening the frantic, snapping maneuvers to two dogs fighting.