aeroplane

See also: æroplane, aéroplane, and aëroplane

English

An aeroplane (Airbus A330)

Alternative forms

• aëroplane (dated)
• airplane (US, Canada, Philippines)
• æroplane (nonstandard, dated)

Etymology

From French aéroplane, from Ancient Greek ἀερόπλανος (aeróplanos, “wandering in air”), from ἀήρ (aḗr, “air”) + πλάνος (plános, “wandering”). First used by Joseph Pline in an 1855 patent.[1];[2]

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈeə.ɹə.pleɪn/

• Audio (UK)

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• Audio (AU)

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Noun

aeroplane (plural aeroplanes)

1. (Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Ireland, India, UK, Singapore) A powered heavier-than-air aircraft with fixed wings.
2. (aeronautics, archaic) An airfoil.
3. Any of various nymphalid butterflies, of various genera, having a slow gliding flight. Also called planes.

Usage notes

• Aeroplane was the predominant spelling in the US until the 1920s, and is still used idiolectally among some American speakers.
• Canada officially uses aeroplane, but the spelling airplane has become much more common as a result of US influence.

Derived terms

• aeroplane mode
• hydroaeroplane (dated)
• paper aeroplane
• plane

 

Related terms

• aero-
• plane

Translations

airplane — see airplane

Verb

aeroplane (third-person singular simple present aeroplanes, present participle aeroplaning, simple past and past participle aeroplaned)

1. (intransitive) To fly in an aeroplane.
2. (transitive) To transport by aeroplane.
   • 1919, The American Angler (volume 4, page 221)

     The rod was discarded, and then, hand over hand, the prize of them all was aeroplaned to the top of the cliff.

See also

• aircraft
• glider
• helicopter
• airplane