rotorcraft
noun
ro·tor·craft ˈrō-tər-ˌkraft 
plural rotorcraft
: an aircraft (such as a helicopter) whose lift is derived principally from rotating airfoils
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web The Black Hawk successor is only one piece of an overarching Army effort called Future Vertical Lift that eventually will replace most of the rotorcraft in the current fleet. 
Loren Thompson, Forbes, 2 Aug. 2022 Called the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft, the new rotorcraft must fly twice as far and twice as fast as Black Hawk, enabling the transformation of Army airborne operations. Loren Thompson, Forbes, 2 Aug. 2022 Early Monday morning, NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter could become the first rotorcraft to soar through the skies on another planet. Jennifer Leman, Popular Mechanics, 18 Apr. 2021 Since then, the rover and its accompanying rotorcraft, Ingenuity, have explored the sights and sounds of the Red Planet and even aced an experiment to produce oxygen from carbon dioxide. Jennifer Leman, Popular Mechanics, 19 Mar. 2022 Each client can build up to 51 percent of the personal rotorcraft under the close supervision of professionals. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 13 Apr. 2022 Multimillion-dollar rotorcraft are too expensive for mass adoption, and yet AAM business plans depend on mass adoption to justify their big up-front expenses. Richard Aboulafia, Forbes, 27 Jan. 2022 The helicopters were the cruisers’ main sub-hunters, but the vessels backed up their rotorcraft with torpedoes and anti-submarine mortars of their own. David Axe, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2021 Its carrier air wing consists of nine squadrons, including not only multirole fighter-bombers but also electronic attack jets, radar planes, and various rotorcraft. Loren Thompson, Forbes, 14 Sep. 2021 See More
Loren Thompson, Forbes, 2 Aug. 2022 Called the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft, the new rotorcraft must fly twice as far and twice as fast as Black Hawk, enabling the transformation of Army airborne operations. Loren Thompson, Forbes, 2 Aug. 2022 Early Monday morning, NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter could become the first rotorcraft to soar through the skies on another planet. Jennifer Leman, Popular Mechanics, 18 Apr. 2021 Since then, the rover and its accompanying rotorcraft, Ingenuity, have explored the sights and sounds of the Red Planet and even aced an experiment to produce oxygen from carbon dioxide. Jennifer Leman, Popular Mechanics, 19 Mar. 2022 Each client can build up to 51 percent of the personal rotorcraft under the close supervision of professionals. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 13 Apr. 2022 Multimillion-dollar rotorcraft are too expensive for mass adoption, and yet AAM business plans depend on mass adoption to justify their big up-front expenses. Richard Aboulafia, Forbes, 27 Jan. 2022 The helicopters were the cruisers’ main sub-hunters, but the vessels backed up their rotorcraft with torpedoes and anti-submarine mortars of their own. David Axe, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2021 Its carrier air wing consists of nine squadrons, including not only multirole fighter-bombers but also electronic attack jets, radar planes, and various rotorcraft. Loren Thompson, Forbes, 14 Sep. 2021 See More Word History
First Known Use
1929, in the meaning defined above
rotorcraft
noun
as in helicopter
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- helicopter
- copter
- chopper
- helo
- gyroplane
- whirlybird
- autogiro
- eggbeater
- rotary-wing aircraft
- autogyro
- tilt-rotor
- convertiplane
- convertaplane
- slick
