An aeroplane (Airbus A330)Borrowed fromFrenchaéroplane, fromAncient Greekἀερόπλανος(aeróplanos,“wandering in air”), fromἀήρ(aḗr,“air”) +πλάνος(plános,“wandering”). First used by Joseph Pline in an 1855 patent.[1];[2]
aeroplane (pluralaeroplanes)
- (aviation, Commonwealth)Synonym ofairplane. Apoweredheavier-than-airaircraft with fixedwings.
- (aeronautics, archaic, obsolete)Synonym ofairfoil. An aerodynamic surface.
- Any of variousnymphalid butterflies, of variousgenera, having a slow gliding flight. Also calledplanes.
- Aeroplane was the predominant spelling in the US until the 1920s, and is still used idiolectally among some American speakers.
- Canada officially usesaeroplane, but the spellingairplane 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.
aeroplane (third-person singular simple presentaeroplanes,present participleaeroplaning,simple past and past participleaeroplaned)
- (intransitive) To fly in an aeroplane.
- (transitive) To transport by aeroplane.
1919,The American Angler, volume 4, page221:The rod was discarded, and then, hand over hand, the prize of them all wasaeroplaned to the top of the cliff.
