pilot

Etymology

From Middle French pilot, pillot, from Italian piloto, from Late Latin pillottus; perhaps ultimately from Ancient Greek πηδόν (pēdón, “blade of an oar, oar”) , hence also Ancient and Modern Greek πηδάλιον (pēdálion), "rudder" .

Pronunciation

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈpaɪlət/
• Rhymes: -aɪlət

Noun

pilot (plural pilots)

1. A person who steers a ship, a helmsman.
   • 1697, John Dryden, The Works of Virgil, The Aeneid Book One

     They scud before the wind, and sail in open sea. / Ahead of all the master pilot steers; / And, as he leads, the following navy veers.

2. A person who knows well the depths and currents of a harbor or coastal area, who is hired by a vessel to help navigate the harbor or coast.
3. An instrument for detecting the compass error.
4. (Australia, road transport, informal) A pilot vehicle.
5. (Australia, road transport) A person authorised to drive such a vehicle during an escort.
6. A guide or escort through an unknown or dangerous area.
   • 1834, David Crockett, A Narrative of the Life of David Crockett, E. L. Cary and A. Hart, page 43:

     So we mounted our horses, and put out for that town, under the direction of two friendly Creeks we had taken for pilots.

7. Something serving as a test or trial.

   We would like to run a pilot in your facility before rolling out the program citywide.

   1. (mining) The heading or excavation of relatively small dimensions, first made in the driving of a larger tunnel.
8. A person who is in charge of the controls of an aircraft.
9. A sample episode of a proposed TV series
10. (rail transport) A cowcatcher.
11. A pilot light.
12. One who flies a kite.
    • 2003, John P. Glaser, A Father's Collage, page 31:

      Julia has become quite a good kite pilot. She has learned how to repeatedly buzz her father's head, coming within two feet, and not hitting him.

13. A short plug, sometimes made interchangeable, at the end of a counterbore to guide the tool.

Adjective

pilot (not comparable)

1. Made or used as a test or demonstration of capability. (pilot run, pilot plant)

   The pilot plant showed the need for major process changes.

2. Used to control or activate another device. (pilot light)
3. A vehicle to warn other road users of the presence of an oversize vehicle/combination. (pilot vehicle)
4. Used to indicate operation ("pilot lamp")

Verb

pilot (third-person singular simple present pilots, present participle piloting, simple past and past participle piloted)

1. (transitive) To control (an aircraft or watercraft).
2. (transitive) To guide (a vessel) through coastal waters.
3. (transitive) To test or have a preliminary trial of (an idea, a new product, etc.)

Anagrams

• ptilo-

Adjective

pilot (feminine pilota, masculine plural pilots, feminine plural pilotes)

1. pilot

Noun

pilot m (plural pilots)

1. pilot
2. driver
3. light, warning light

Noun

pilot m

1. pilot (controller of aircraft)

Further reading

• pilot in Příruční slovník jazyka českého, 1935–1957
• pilot in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého, 1960–1971, 1989

Noun

pilot c (singular definite piloten, plural indefinite piloter)

1. pilot

References

• “pilot” in Den Danske Ordbog

Noun

pilot

1. vocative singular form of pilots

Verb

pilot

1. present conjunctive form of pilēt
2. (with the particle lai) imperative conjunctive form of pilēt

Participle

pilot (invariable)

1. adverbial present active participle of pilēt (invariable form)

Noun

pilot m (plural pilots)

1. stake (pole designed to be pushed into the ground)

Etymology

From French pilote

Noun

pilot m (definite singular piloten, indefinite plural piloter, definite plural pilotene)

1. pilot (controller of an aircraft)

References

• “pilot” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Etymology

From French pilote

Noun

pilot m (definite singular piloten, indefinite plural pilotar, definite plural pilotane)

1. pilot (controller of an aircraft)

References

• “pilot” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpʲi.lɔt/

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

pilot m pers

1. pilot (controller of aircraft)

Noun

pilot m inan

1. remote control

Etymology

Borrowed from French pilote.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /piˈlot/

Noun

pilot m (plural piloți)

1. pilot