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Glite Dictionary
airplane pilot

airplane pilot

2 3.2
A person who flies a plane and has a licence
  • noun
  • /ˈɛrˌpleɪn ˈpaɪlət/
  • US
: piloto de avión
  • Traveling comes naturally to guard number three, as he's a licensed airplane pilot.

For example, there are humans that are pole vaulters, philosophers, airplane pilots, poets, pianists, and that's just the piece.

Examples

  • My dream is to become an airplane pilot.

    Blog text (26)

  • You're my first Air Force airplane pilot that I've had in here and hope, hope you're the first of many.

  • I mean, bus drivers, airplane pilots.

    Simon Says (2007)

  • An actor playing the airplane pilot walks up.

    Fiction book (1994)

  • Think about this for a minute: Denzel Washington had to play an airplane pilot trying to crash-land a commercial jet and save as many lives as possible while also showing the effects of drugs and alcohol.

    Blog text (27)

  • For example, there are humans that are pole vaulters, philosophers, airplane pilots, poets, pianists, and that's just the piece.

    Harvard University

  • In today's world, all airplane pilots must speak English; our educational research journals are being published in fewer languages each year, two or three sufficing in most fields; authors have to know or have access to Word Perfect 5.0 or 5.1 to submit a manuscript.

    Academic text (1992)

  • "Flight" is a gripping drama surrounding the life of Whip Whitaker, played by Denzel Washington, who is a commercial airplane pilot struggling to come to grips with his alcohol problem.

    Blog text (27)

  • A lot like an airplane pilot who goes through a pre-flight checklist, the New York for $70,000 means you've just earned $17,000 profit in the long run.

    Blog text (23)

  • My dream is to become an airplane pilot.

Synonyms

captain
vsairplane pilot
∞ 1.1

The person in charge of a ship or aircraft and its crew

is the licensed aircraft operator concerned with flying rather than command
pilot
vsairplane pilot
∞ 2.9

A person who flies a plane or guides a ship safely

is focused on licensed operation of aircraft rather than ship guiding
aviator
vsairplane pilot
35 4.6

A person who flies a plane or other aircraft

is defined by holding an official licence to operate an aircraft
co-pilot
vsairplane pilot
  • UK
28 3.4

A person who helps the main pilot and can fly the plane if needed

is the licensed person responsible for operating the aircraft in flight
flier
vsairplane pilot
  • US
18 4.2

A person who flies an aircraft as its pilot

is the formal licensed term for operating aircraft during flight
copilot
vsairplane pilot
15 3.3

A person who helps the main pilot fly an aircraft

is the licensed operator who holds final responsibility for aircraft operation

How Experienced

captain
∞ 1.1
airplane pilot
  • US
2 3.2
flying school
16 2.9

Surface Forms

airplane pilot singular
airplane pilots plural

Morphology

airplane + pilot

The meaning 'a person who is licensed to operate an aircraft' is directly and compositionally derived from 'airplane' (a flying vehicle) + 'pilot' (a trained operator). This compound noun follows a common and transparent head-modifier pattern found cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Airplane pilot puts together airplane (a flying machine) and pilot (a person who guides a vehicle). Picture someone at the controls guiding the plane through the sky; that's why airplane pilot means 'a person who flies and controls a plane'.