Standard Lemma guide

airship

noun · verb · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • homophone: heirship
  • CMU ARPABET: EH1 R SH IH2 P Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A lighter-than-air aircraft that can be propelled forward through the air as well as steered.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: aeronautics, aerospace, aviation, business, engineering, natural-sciences, physical-sciences

Examples

  • Airships are posited to be cheaper to operate over time than fixed-wing aircraft, but as there are no large fleets, this is hard to prove in practice.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A police air unit, a police helicopter.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US

Topics: aeronautics, aerospace, aviation, business, engineering, government, law-enforcement, natural-sciences, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Any aircraft.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: informal

Topics: aeronautics, aerospace, aviation, business, engineering, natural-sciences, physical-sciences

Examples

  • On weekends, I liked to spend my time at the airport watching the various airships take off and land.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A high ranking official of the RAF, viewed as arrogant and distant.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: UK, derogatory, in-plural

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To transport goods by aircraft.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

a steerable self-propelled aircraft

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: dirigible

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: lighter-than-air craft

Narrower terms: barrage balloon, blimp, sausage balloon, sausage, zeppelin, Graf Zeppelin

History

Etymology

From air + ship. * (jocular British sense): is in imitation of worship "form of address for magistrates et al., possibly also an oblique reference to Colonel Blimp.

Across languages

Translations

3 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Hungarian: léghajó — self-propelled lighter-than-air aircraft that can be steered
  • Polish: sterowiec — self-propelled lighter-than-air aircraft that can be steered
  • Spanish: nave aérea — self-propelled lighter-than-air aircraft that can be steered
Real reading context

airship in complete knowledge articles

RAF Wormwood Scrubs Places & the world · Challenging · 8 uses HMS E4 Technology & inventions · Challenging · 7 uses Hindenburg-class airship Technology & inventions · Challenging · 7 uses B-class blimp Ideas & learning · Challenging · 4 uses Tom Shannon (artist) Arts & music · Advanced · 4 uses Douglas Harries Language & communication · Developing · 2 uses Édouard Surcouf Everyday life · Advanced · 2 uses Frank V. Webster Everyday life · Accessible · 1 uses