helicopter

helicopter — noun

1. a flying machine that gets its upward force from large spinning blades fixed on

1.nounB1
Definition

a flying machine that gets its upward force from large spinning blades fixed on its roof instead of from wings; it can rise directly upward, touch down in small spaces, and hover in one spot.

Example

A police <hw>helicopter</hw> circled the stadium with a bright searchlight.

modifier: police helicopter

The injured hiker was airlifted to safety by a rescue <hw>helicopter</hw>.

passive: airlifted by a rescue helicopter

Common collocations
  • rescue helicopter
  • military helicopter
  • police helicopter
  • helicopter pilot
  • helicopter crash
  • helicopter tour
  • helicopter landing
  • helicopter ride
Synonyms
  • chopper

    informal synonym, frequently used in news reports and casual speech

  • whirlybird

    very informal, humorous term, uncommon in serious contexts

Antonyms
  • airplane

    fixed-wing aircraft that requires a runway and cannot hover

Grammar Patterns

a/the + helicopter + noun (e.g. helicopter pilot, helicopter tour)

Usage Note

Commonly used as a modifier before another noun (helicopter pilot, helicopter ride, helicopter crash). Distinguish from airplane, which has fixed wings and requires a runway for takeoff and landing.

Common Mistakes

The helicopter flew like a bird with wings.
A helicopter uses spinning blades, not wings, to fly.
Helicopters do not have wings; their lift comes from overhead rotors.

helicopter — verb

Word family

  • helipad
    nounC1
  • heliport
    nounC1
  • chopper
    nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

A helicopter is a type of aircraft that uses overhead spinning blades rather than fixed wings, giving it the unique ability to hover, take off and land vertically, and access tight spaces. 'Chopper' is the informal, conversational equivalent — widely used in news reports and everyday speech ('a police chopper'), but avoided in formal or technical writing. 'Aircraft' is the broadest term, covering everything from jets to hot-air balloons, so it lacks the specificity of 'helicopter.' 'Airplane' refers specifically to fixed-wing craft that need a runway for takeoff and landing, making it a contrast, not a substitute. For example: 'A helicopter landed on the hospital roof, whereas a small airplane would have needed an airport runway.'

helicopter ↗chopperaircraft ↗airplane ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • helicopter blade
  • helicopter pilot
  • helicopter rescue
  • helicopter tour
  • helicopter crash
  • helicopter landing pad

Adverbs

Phrases

  • helicopter in
  • helicopter out
  • helicopter to safety

Prepositions

  • by helicopter
  • from a helicopter
  • onto a helicopter
  • inside a helicopter

Etymology

GreekFrenchEnglish

The word 'helicopter' was borrowed from French 'hélicoptère,' which was coined in the 1860s from two Greek roots: 'hélix' (meaning spiral or twisting) and 'pterón' (meaning wing or feather). The name refers to the twisting, wing-like blades that make the aircraft fly. In early usage, some writers tried to shorten it to 'copter' or 'heli,' but 'helicopter' remains the standard term.