helicopter
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈheliˌkɔptə(ɹ)/
ipa: /ˈhɛl.iˌkɒp.tə(ɹ)/
ipa: /ˈhɛl.ɪˌkɒp.tə(ɹ)/
ipa: /ˈhɛlɪˌkɑptɜɹ/
ipa: /ˈhilɪˌkɑptɜɹ/
Forms: form: helicopters
Etymology: Borrowed from French hélicoptère, from Ancient Greek ἕλιξ (hélix, “spiral”) + πτερόν (pterón, “wing”). Doublet of helicopteron. By surface analysis, helico- + -pter. The dragonfly sense is from a dragonfly's ability to hover and fly in any direction, like the flying machine.
Senses: examples: text: We flew over the city in a helicopter.
text: I’ve flown in flimsy microlights, soaring serenely above rich farmland. I’ve ridden tactical combat helicopters missions, skimming the desert floor and banking hard around sand dunes.
ref: 2020 December 5, Nic Robertson, “Saudi Arabia has changed beyond recognition. But will tourists want to visit?”, in CNN:
text: Investigators trying to determine what caused last week’s deadly midair collision between a US military Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines plane near Washington, DC, briefed lawmakers Thursday on what they’ve learned after combing through data from both aircraft and air traffic control.
ref: 2025 February 6, Alexandra Skores, Hanna Park, Andy Rose and Holly Yan, “Senators grill investigators on the midair collision between an American Airlines plane and a Black Hawk military helicopter”, in CNN:
hypernyms: aircraft
qualifier: aircraft
glosses: An aircraft that is borne along by one or more sets of long rotating blades which allow it to hover, move in any direction including reverse, or land; and typically having a smaller set of blades on its tail to stabilize the aircraft.
glosses: A powered troweling machine with spinning blades used to spread concrete.
topics: biology
botany
natural-sciences
glosses: The winged fruit of certain trees, such as ash, elm, and maple.
topics: biology
natural-sciences
zoology
glosses: A dragonfly; so named due to its resemblance to a helicopter (sense 1).
glosses: A whirling trick performed with devil sticks.
topics: dance
dancing
hobbies
lifestyle
sports
glosses: A breakdance move in which the dancer spins on the floor while extending the legs to resemble the blades of a helicopter.
Synonyms: sense: aircraft
word: chopper
sense: aircraft
word: copter
sense: aircraft
word: eggbeater
sense: aircraft
word: heli
topics: military
war
government
politics
sense: aircraft
word: helo
topics: technical
engineering
physical-sciences
natural-sciences
sense: aircraft
word: rotary-wing aircraft
sense: aircraft
word: whirlybird
sense: trowelling device
word: power trowel
sense: trowelling device
word: trowel machine
sense: winged fruit
word: samara
sense: winged fruit
word: whirlybird
Hyponyms: word: attack helicopter
word: black helicopter
english: sometimes considered coordinate
translation: sometimes considered coordinate
word: synchropter
Derived terms: word: antihelicopter
word: Chinese helicopter
word: copter
english: and derivatives
translation: and derivatives
word: -copter
word: free helicopter ride
word: heli
english: and derivatives
translation: and derivatives
word: heli-
word: helichopper
word: helicopter bucket
word: helicopter carrier
word: helicopter drop
word: helicopter ear
word: helicopterful
word: helicoptering
word: helicopterlike
word: helicopter mom
word: helicopter money
word: helicopter parent
word: helicopter parenting
word: helicopter seed
word: helicopter shot
word: helicoptery
word: heliport
word: helitack
word: helo
word: jellycopter
word: roflcopter
word: telecopter