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

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): [ˈɛə̯.ɹə.pleɪ̯n], dated IPA^(key): [ˈeɪ.əɹ-]
• (Standard Southern British) IPA^(key): [ˈɛː.ɹə.plɛjn]

  (file)

• (MLE) IPA^(key): [ˈɛː.ɹow.plejn], [ˈɛː.ɹow.pleːn]
• (General Australian) IPA^(key): [ˈɛː.ɹ(ə).plɛɪ̯n]

  (file)

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈɛɚ.ə.pleɪ̯n/
• Hyphenation: ae‧ro‧plane

Noun

aeroplane (plural aeroplanes)

1. (aviation, Commonwealth) Synonym of airplane. A powered heavier-than-air aircraft with fixed wings.
2. (aeronautics, archaic, obsolete) Synonym of airfoil. An aerodynamic surface.
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.
• Airplane has also become a usual variant in most other areas, but is considered informal.

Derived terms

• aeroplane mode
• aeroplaner
• aeroplanist
• chairoplane
• hydroaeroplane (dated)
• paper aeroplane
• plane

 

Related terms

• aero-
• plane

 

airfoil

• aeronautics
• hydroplane

 

airplane

• aero
• aerospace

 

aviation, aeronautics

• aerodrome

 

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
• airplane
• glider
• helicopter