aerostat
/ˈɛɹoʊstˌæt/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: 1.56 in modern English
8
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
3
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
An aircraft, such as a dirigible or balloon, that derives its lift from buoyancy rather than from wings or rotors.
noun
A moored balloon flown in a semi-permanent manner, such as a border patrol monitoring balloon affixed at 18,000 feet (~6 km).
Example Sentences
- "With its molten temperatures, sulphuric acid clouds, and crushing carbon dioxide atmosphere, Venus has only a handful of aerostat research outposts."
Etymology
Borrowed from French aérostat, from Ancient Greek ἀήρ (aḗr, “air”) + στατός (statós, “stable”), equivalent to aero- + -stat.
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: ἀήρ