pilot

Pronunciation: /ˈpaɪ̯.lət/

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: B1 — Intermediate

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun someone who is licensed to operate an aircraft in flight
  2. noun a person qualified to guide ships through difficult waters going into or out of a harbor
  3. noun a program exemplifying a contemplated series; intended to attract sponsors

Etymology

From Middle French pilot, pillot, from Italian pilota, piloto, older also pedotta, pedot(t)o (the form in pil- is probably influenced by pileggiare (“to sail, navigate”)); ultimately from unattested Byzantine Greek *πηδώτης (*pēdṓtēs, “helmsman”), from Ancient Greek πηδόν (pēdón, “blade of an oar, oar”), hence also Ancient and Modern Greek πηδάλιον (pēdálion, “rudder”).

In classic literature

Synonyms

airplane pilot

Semantic network

Broader (hypernyms)
aviator
Narrower (hyponyms)
copilot, test pilot, combat pilot, kamikaze, wingman, barnstormer

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