aircraft

noun

air·​craft ˈer-ˌkraft 

plural aircraft

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

These upgrades improve dependability in critical systems such as propulsion and aircraft launch operations, both essential for sustained carrier missions. —Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 30 Apr. 2026

Her Jenny aircraft turned over, dropping Coleman out of the aircraft at about 2,000 feet. —Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026

Federal regulations require passengers to follow crewmember instructions aboard aircraft. —Eve Chen, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026

The single-seat, straight-wing subsonic attack aircraft have been flown in military operations including Operation Desert Storm, the Iraq war and the war in Afghanistan. —Hali Smith april 29, Idaho Statesman, 29 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1845, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing aircraft

• aircraft carrier
• rotary-wing aircraft

Rhymes for aircraft

• abaft
• camshaft
• crankshaft
• downdraft
• engraft
• priestcraft
• redraft
• schoolcraft
• spacecraft
• stagecraft
• statecraft
• updraft

Kids Definition

aircraft

noun

air·​craft ˈa(ə)r-ˌkraft 

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