Airplane Meaning
/ˈɛəˌpleɪ̯n/Definition, CEFR level A1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA powered heavier-than-air aircraft with fixed wings.
nounA powered heavier-than-air aircraft with fixed wings: a fixed-wing aircraft with at least one engine or electric motor.
Sentence Examples
The Wright brothers succeeded in flying an airplane driven by an engine.
The pilot landed the airplane in the field.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
The small ____ taxied slowly toward the runway for departure.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
I love the feeling of the ____ as it takes off into the blue sky.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂ews- Proto-Indo-European *h₂ewsér Proto-Hellenic *auhḗr Ancient Greek ᾱ̓ήρ (āḗr)bor. Latin āēr Old French airbor. Middle English aire English air ▲ Ancient Greek ᾱ̓ήρ (āḗr) Ancient Greek πλανάω (planáō) Ancient Greek -ος (-os) Ancient Greek ᾱ̓ερόπλᾰνος (āeróplănos)der. French aéroplanebor. English aeroplaneclip. English plane English airplane From air + plane as an alteration of aeroplane.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"So, he'd take a spoon and he'd start playing airplane, circling the spoon around in the air until it was ready to land in the runway of my mouth."
— 1988, Matthew Linn, Sheila Fabricant, Dennis Linn, Healing the Eight Stages of Life, Paulist Press, →ISBN, page 66:
"Willis wondered what this fellow wanted to do, spoon feed him? Play airplane?"
— 1997 03, Maria Flook, Open Water, Ecco Press, →ISBN:
"For instance, Jan has taken to playing airplane with the spoon to get Charley to attend to the spoon and want to take it into his mouth."
— 2013 May 13, Theo L. Dorpat, Michael L. Miller, Clinical Interaction and the Analysis of Meaning: A New Psychoanalytic Theory, Routledge, →ISBN:
Explore More A1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The small ____ taxied slowly toward the runway for departure.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
I love the feeling of the ____ as it takes off into the blue sky.