aerial

[adj. air-ee-uh l, ey-eer-ee-uh l; n. air-ee-uh l] /adj. ˈɛər i əl, eɪˈɪər i əl; n. ˈɛər i əl/
adjective
1.
of, in, or produced by the air:
aerial currents.
2.
inhabiting or frequenting the air:
aerial creatures.
3.
operating on a track or cable elevated above the ground:
an aerial ski lift up the mountainside.
4.
reaching far into the air; high; lofty:
aerial spires.
5.
partaking of the nature of air; airy.
6.
unsubstantial; visionary:
aerial fancies.
7.
having a light and graceful beauty; ethereal:
aerial music.
8.
Biology. growing in the air, as the adventitious roots of some trees.
9.
pertaining to or used for, against, or in aircraft.
10.
supplied or performed by means of aircraft:
aerial support; aerial reconnaissance.
noun
11.
a radio or television antenna.
12.
Football. forward pass.
Origin
1595-1605; 1900-05 for def 11; < Latin āeri(us) of the air (< Greek āérios, equivalent to āer- (stem of āḗr air1) + -ios adj. suffix) + -al1
Related forms
aerially, adverb
aerialness, noun
superaerial, adjective
superaerially, adverb
Examples from the web for aerial
  • The aerial can be adjusted to the frequency of those signals by lengthening or shortening the spout.
  • Continued advances in unmanned aerial vehicle technology have profound implications regarding the nature of modern warfare.
  • Its size is better seen on a map or from an aerial photograph.
  • Unmanned aerial vehicles are being tested for all kinds of future applications to help law enforcement, as well as the military.
  • Yet the inspectors found programmes for a range of undeclared unmanned aerial vehicles.
  • Those initial bleak impressions were based on aerial views.
  • The military has long-standing procedures in place for designing and executing aerial missions.
  • Although hurricanes are aerial beasts, they draw their power from marine heat.
  • Unidentified aerial phenomena offer a lesson on the residue problem in science.
  • Here's an aerial view of the overall plan of the garden.
British Dictionary definitions for aerial

aerial

/ˈɛərɪəl/
adjective
1.
of, relating to, or resembling air
2.
existing, occurring, moving, or operating in the air: aerial cable car, aerial roots of a plant
3.
ethereal; light and delicate
4.
imaginary; visionary
5.
extending high into the air; lofty
6.
of or relating to aircraft: aerial combat
noun
7.
Also called antenna. the part of a radio or television system having any of various shapes, such as a dipole, Yagi, long-wire, or vertical aerial, by means of which radio waves are transmitted or received
Word Origin
C17: via Latin from Greek aērios, from aēr air
Word Origin and History for aerial
adj.

c.1600, from Latin aerius "airy, aerial, lofty, high" (from Greek aerios "of the air, pertaining to air," from aer "air;" see air (n.1)) + adjectival suffix -al (1).

n.

1902 (short for aerial antenna, etc.); see aerial (adj.).