helicopter

Meanings

Noun

• An aircraft that is borne along by one or more sets of long rotating blades which allow it to hover, move in any direction including reverse, or land; and typically having a smaller set of blades on its tail that stabilize the aircraft.
• A powered troweling machine with spinning blades used to spread concrete.
• The winged fruit of certain trees, such as ash, elm, and maple.
• A dragonfly.
• A whirling trick performed with devil sticks.

Verb

• To transport by helicopter.
• To travel by helicopter.
• To rotate like a helicopter blade.
• To overprotect one's children, as a helicopter parent does.

Related

Similar words

• chopper , copter , eggbeater , heli , helo , rotary-wing aircraft , whirlybird
• power trowel, trowel machine
• samara, whirlybird

Origin

• Borrowed from French hélicoptère, from Ancient Greek ἕλιξ + πτερόν. helicopteron.