aircraft

[air-kraft, -krahft] /ˈɛərˌkræft, -ˌkrɑft/

noun, plural aircraft.

any machine supported for flight in the air by buoyancy or by the dynamic action of air on its surfaces, especially powered airplanes, gliders, and helicopters.

Origin

1840-50; air¹ + craft

Examples from the web for aircraft

Icon aircraft has made aviation history before even finishing the final design of its first airplane.
Certain occupational courses such as nursing and aircraft maintenance are much more rigid and consistent across instructors.
When the sun goes down, the aircraft loses superheat.
He lives alone in a house in mid-city that is dominated by a piano the size of an aircraft carrier.
The highest level, though, is projection-the ability to predict which aircraft are coming in and when.
No one has even commented on the propulsion system which is what has limited aircraft improvement since the first powered flight.
These eddies of air can push plane wings in opposing directions, jostling an aircraft as a boat on wavy waters.
Other aircraft took over the search at first light, scanning the site for hints of movement.
Whereas humans strive to minimize turbulence over aircraft wings, dragonflies' wings deliberately generate and exploit turbulence.
Back comes an order for aircraft to dissipate the cloud.

British Dictionary definitions for aircraft

aircraft

/ˈɛəˌkrɑːft/

noun (pl) -craft

any machine capable of flying by means of buoyancy or aerodynamic forces, such as a glider, helicopter, or aeroplane

Word Origin and History for aircraft

1851, originally in reference to airships and balloons, from air (n.1) + craft (n.); a term from boating, as were many early aviation words. Of airplanes from 1907 and since 1930s exclusively of them. Aircraft carrier is attested from 1919 (H.M.S. Hermes, launched September 1919, was the first ship to be built from the hull up as an aircraft carrier).