dirigible

English

A dirigible in flight.

Etymology

From French dirigeable, from ballon dirigeable (“steerable balloon”).

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈdɪɹɪd͡ʒəbəl/
  • (US) IPA(key): /ˈdɪɹ.ə.d͡ʒə.bəl/
  • Audio (US):(file)

Noun

dirigible (plural dirigibles)

  1. (aviation) A self-propelled airship that can be steered.
    • 1923, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], “(please specify the page)”, in The Eyes of Max Carrados, London: Grant Richards, →OCLC:
      Do you know, Louis, of any great secret military camp where a surprise fleet of dirigibles and flying machines of a new and terrible pattern is being formed by a far-seeing Government as a reserve against the day of Armageddon?
    • 1980, AA Book of British Villages, Drive Publications Ltd, page 101:
      On the opposite wall, the R101 tragedy is recalled by the airship's tattered ensign in a glass case, a plaque from the Royal Airship Works and a photograph of the dirigible at her moorings.
    • 2023 February 4, Katie Rogers, “Look! Up in the Sky! It’s a … Chinese Spy Balloon?”, in The New York Times‎[1], New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 8 April 2025:
      People had time to think up some questions, including reporters who shouted “Are you going to shoot down the balloon?” at President Biden shortly before the dirigible came down.

Hyponyms

Translations

Adjective

dirigible (comparative more dirigible, superlative most dirigible)

  1. steerable

Derived terms

Translations

See also

Further reading

Spanish

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /diɾiˈxible/ [d̪i.ɾiˈxi.β̞le]
  • Rhymes: -ible
  • Syllabification: di‧ri‧gi‧ble

Noun

dirigible m (plural dirigibles)

  1. dirigible

Further reading

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