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seaplane

seaplane

12 4.3
A plane that takes off from and lands on water
  • noun
  • /ˈsiːpleɪn/
translation icon : hidroavión
  • The seaplane took off smoothly, its floats gliding effortlessly over the surface of the water.

Examples

  • Bill pulls the throttle, and the seaplane lifts, struggles, and soars free.

    Academic text (2009)
  • Two seaplanes flew over the shipping lanes as the storm abated.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • Make a normal seaplane approach.

  • What is most disturbing is that there may be plans for increased seaplane traffic next year.

    Blog text (29)
  • There's a small seaplane approaching your island .

  • I doubt very much that a seaplane pilot can see a swimmer's head from the air while landing.

    Blog text (29)
  • I saw seaplanes landing in the general area the photo depicts throughout the summer.

    Blog text (29)
  • In 1911, the first experiments with seaplanes began.

  • Seaplane traffic in upper Cook Inlet is primarily based out of Lake Hood and Spenard Lake.

    Academic text (2000)
  • Just a day after he won the Schneider, Doolittle set a new world speed record for seaplanes while piloting a Curtiss R3C-2.

    Academic text (2003)

Synonyms

flying boat
vsseaplane
  • Archaic
2 7.5

A large plane with a body like a boat that lets it land on and float on water

is the general water aircraft that may use floats instead of a hull
floatplane
vsseaplane
1 6.8

A small airplane with floats that takes off and lands on water

is the general water aircraft not limited to float equipment
hydroplane
vsseaplane
  • Specialized
1 7.9

An aircraft that takes off from and lands on water

means the same thing and is used interchangeably
pontoon plane
vsseaplane
  • US
6.8

A plane with floats that lets it land and take off from water

is the general water aircraft not only for those fitted with pontoons
amphibious aircraft
vsseaplane
  • Specialized
6.6

A plane that can take off and land on water and land

is restricted to water takeoffs and landings only
amphibian
vsseaplane
8.5

An airplane that can take off from and land on both water and land

is limited to water operations and cannot use land runways

How Seaworthy

amphibious aircraft
  • Specialized
6.6
flying boat
  • Archaic
2 7.5
seaplane
12 4.3
floatplane
1 6.8

Surface Forms

seaplane singular
seaplanes plural

Morphology

seaplane = sea + plane (transparent) = sea + plane

The meaning is directly the combination of 'sea' + 'plane'—an aircraft designed for water operations.

Etymology

Seaplane is made from the words sea 'large area of water' and plane 'airplane', so it literally means an aircraft that can take off from and land on water.