aviation
/eɪvɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n
/noun [mass noun]
The flying or operating of aircraft: [as modifier]: the aviation industry...
- It is easy to see why wrecks of this nature are attractive to aircraft restorers and aviation museums.
- One of the most exciting and emerging fields of engineering is aviation and aerospace.
- It was one of the most bewildering incidents in aviation history during the Pacific War.
Origin
Mid 19th century: from French, formed irregularly from Latin avis 'bird'.
The Latin word for ‘bird’, avis, is the root of a number of English words that relate to birds, such as aviary (late 16th century), and avian (late 19th century). It is also the source of words connected with the idea of flying, such as aviation and aviator, both 19th-century borrowings of French words. See also auspicious