pilot

[ pahy-luht ]

/ ˈpaɪ lət /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR pilot ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a person duly qualified to steer ships into or out of a harbor or through certain difficult waters.

a person who steers a ship.

Aeronautics. a person duly qualified to operate an airplane, balloon, or other aircraft.

a guide or leader: the pilot of the expedition.

coast pilot(def 1).

pilot light(def 1).

Machinery. a guide for centering or otherwise positioning two adjacent parts, often consisting of a projection on one part fitting into a recess in the other.

Railroads. cowcatcher.

Also called pilot film, pilot tape. Television. a prototypical filmed or taped feature, produced with hopes of network adoption as a television series and aired to test potential viewer interest and attract sponsors.

a preliminary or experimental trial or test: The school will offer a pilot of its new computer course.

verb (used with object)

to steer.

to lead, guide, or conduct, as through unknown places, intricate affairs, etc.

to act as pilot on, in, or over.

to be in charge of or responsible for: We're looking for someone to pilot the new project.

adjective

serving as an experimental or trial undertaking prior to full-scale operation or use: a pilot project.

Origin of pilot

1520–30; earlier pylotte < Middle French pillotte < Italian pilota, dissimilated variant of pedota < Medieval Greek *pēdṓtēs steersman, equivalent to pēd(á) rudder (plural of pēdón oar) + -ōtēs agent suffix

SYNONYMS FOR pilot

2 helmsman.

13 maneuver, manage.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR pilot ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM pilot

un·pi·lot·ed, adjective well-pi·lot·ed, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH pilot

Pilate pilot

Words nearby pilot

pilonidal, pilonidal sinus, pilos, pilose, pilosebaceous, pilot, pilot balloon, pilot bird, pilot biscuit, pilot boat, pilot burner

Example sentences from the Web for piloted

The U-2 that left Pakistan that day was piloted by a former Air Force captain, Francis Gary Powers.

Russia’s Missiles Stung the World Long Before MH17 |Clive Irving |July 20, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Public use of piloted UAS operations are approved on a "case-by-case basis," it reads.

Are Amazon’s Drone Plans Just a Fantasy? |Abby Haglage |December 2, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
The Wisconsin Badgers are piloted by Buckingham U. Badger, who goes by Bucky.

The Dummies’ Guide to College Football Bowl Games |Sujay Kumar |January 1, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
The next generation of narco subs, Montoya says, will be piloted remotely like unmanned aerial vehicles.

Drug War at Sea: Rise of the Narco Subs |Avi Jorisch |May 13, 2012 |DAILY BEAST

That meant that I could sleep while she piloted and vice-versa.

A Spaceship Named McGuire |Gordon Randall Garrett
The station was somewhat crowded, but as they piloted their way through the knots of passengers Michael still talked on.

Lover or Friend |Rosa Nouchette Carey
Chief among those who piloted the large boats through the passage in the reef was Hugh Morris.

The Island Queen |R.M. Ballantyne
The immigration of '43 was piloted through by Dr. Whitman and ours was the second immigration across the mountains.

A Survivor's Recollections of the Whitman Massacre |Matilda Sager
As Dor piloted us to the open street, we asked him where his mother was.

Johnny Ludlow. First Series |Mrs. Henry Wood

British Dictionary definitions for piloted

pilot

/ (ˈpaɪlət) /

noun

a person who is qualified to operate an aircraft or spacecraft in flight
(as modifier)pilot error

a person who is qualified to steer or guide a ship into or out of a port, river mouth, etc
(as modifier)a pilot ship

a person who steers a ship

a person who acts as a leader or guide

machinery a guide, often consisting of a tongue or dowel, used to assist in joining two mating parts together

machinery a plug gauge for measuring an internal diameter

films a colour test strip accompanying black-and-white rushes from colour originals

an experimental programme on radio or television

See pilot film

(modifier) used in or serving as a test or trial a pilot project

(modifier) serving as a guide a pilot beacon

verb (tr)

to act as pilot of

to control the course of

to guide or lead (a project, people, etc)

Word Origin for pilot

C16: from French pilote, from Medieval Latin pilotus, ultimately from Greek pēdon oar; related to Greek pous foot

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

pilot

noun

verb (used with object)

adjective

Origin of pilot

SYNONYMS FOR pilot

OTHER WORDS FROM pilot

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH pilot

Words nearby pilot

Example sentences from the Web for piloted

British Dictionary definitions for piloted

noun

verb (tr)

Word Origin for pilot

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

pilot

noun

verb (used with object)

adjective

Origin of pilot

SYNONYMS FOR pilot

OTHER WORDS FROM pilot

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH pilot

Words nearby pilot

Words related to piloted

Example sentences from the Web for piloted

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for piloted

noun

verb (tr)

Word Origin for pilot

British Dictionary definitions for piloted