aviator

noun

Etymology: Etymology tree French aviateurbor. English aviator Borrowed from French aviateur.

1. An aircraft pilot, especially a military pilot. The use of the word may imply claims of superior airmanship, as in navy aviator vs. air force pilot.

   “Ruth Elder was known for her beauty and acting, but her real dream was to become the female version of transatlantic aviator Charles Lindbergh.”

   “Two missing US Navy aviators have been declared dead, several days after their aircraft crashed near Mount Rainier, Washington, during a training flight, the Navy said Sunday.”

2. An experimenter in aviation.
3. A flying machine.