aviation

noun

avi·​a·​tion ˌā-vē-ˈā-shən 

ˌa-

often attributive

1

: the operation of aircraft

a pioneer in the early days of aviation

a career in aviation

sometimes, specifically : the operation of heavier-than-air aircraft

Fascinated from that moment on by aviation, [John] Montgomery pursued pioneering experiments in the design of a heavier-than-air glider …

—Kevin Starr

2

: military airplanes

carrier-based aviation

3

: airplane manufacture, development, and design

By that time, [Theodore P.] Wright already had established himself as a leading figure in American aviation.

—Michael Rothschild

Examples of aviation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

On February 13, another major aviation disaster eclipsed the Skymaster. —Francine Uenuma, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Jan. 2025

Inspired, Wallach pursued her own path into the aviation industry, obtaining a flight engineer rating, a requirement to join an airline crew in the 1970s. —John Yoo and John Shu, Newsweek, 23 Jan. 2025

South Korea has told its low-cost carriers to prioritize safety over profit after the deadly crash of a Jeju Air plane in South Korea last month, in an effort to shore up confidence in the country’s aviation industry. —Jin Yu Young, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2025

Doug Gollan is a veteran reporter and media executive focused on luxury travel and private aviation. —Doug Gollan, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

French, from Latin avis

First Known Use

1865, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing aviation

• general aviation

Kids Definition

aviation

noun

avi·​a·​tion ˌā-vē-ˈā-shən 

ˌav-ē-

: the operation of aircraft (as airplanes or helicopters) that are heavier than air