Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • intransitive verb To glide toward the earth in an airplane with the engine cut off.
  • intransitive verb To glide toward the earth with the engine cut off. Used of an airplane.
  • intransitive verb To make one's way or go by gliding.
  • noun The act or an instance of volplaning.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • intransitive verb (Aëronautics) To glide in a flying machine.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun a steep, controlled dive, especially by an aircraft with the engine off
  • verb to make a volplane

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[From French vol plané, gliding flight : vol, flight (from Old French, from voler, to fly; see volley) + plané, gliding, past participle of planer, to glide; see plane.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

French vol plané ‘gliding flight’.

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Examples

Comments

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  • 1) To glide toward the earth in an airplane with the engine cut off. 2) To make one's way or go by gliding.

    April 3, 2008