airline

1 of 2

noun (1)

air·​line ˈer-ˌlīn How to pronounce airline (audio)
: an air transportation system including its equipment, routes, operating personnel, and management

air line

2 of 2

noun (2)

: a straight line through the air between two points

Examples of airline in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
The airport’s revenue share would drop from 60% to 55%, with the five airlines splitting the remaining 45% of revenue. — Nick Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 13 Oct. 2026 Several international airlines have suspended flights for varying periods. — Samy Magdy, Arkansas Online, 12 Oct. 2026 The airline confirmed the flight from LAX landed at JFK ahead of schedule with no additional impacts, at which time law enforcement responded to reports of the altercation. — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 12 Oct. 2026 Inside the plane, Hammami seized advantage of an airline-safety rule enacted after September 11, 2001, which mandated that pilots must be able to lock the cockpit from the inside to prevent hijackings or other external threats to the plane. — Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for airline

Word History

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1844, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1813, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of airline was in 1813

Rhymes for airline

See All Rhymes for airline

Browse Nearby Words

airlifter
airline
air line
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Airline.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/airline. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

airline

noun
air·​line -ˌlīn How to pronounce airline (audio)
: a system of transportation by airplanes including its routes, equipment, and workers

More from Merriam-Webster on airline

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about airline

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