Meaning & use
biplane
Last updated
UK/ˈbaɪpleɪn/
US/ˈbaɪpleɪn/
Meaning
nouncountable
An early type of aircraft that has two sets of wings, one above the other.
Grammar: Countable: a biplane, two biplanes.
Patterns
- fly a biplane
- a biplane with two wings
The museum has a restored biplane from the 1920s hanging from the ceiling.
She took a ride in an old biplane and loved the open cockpit.
Biplanes were common before monoplanes became the standard design.
Word forms
| plural | biplanes |
|---|
Common combinations
- vintage biplane
- A vintage biplane flew low over the field.
- biplane pilot
- The biplane pilot waved before taking off.
- biplane ride
- They booked a biplane ride for their anniversary.
- early biplane
- Early biplanes were made of wood and fabric.
Synonyms and how they differ
- aircraft
- A general word for any flying machine; biplane is a specific type with two wings.
- plane
- A common short form for airplane; biplane is more precise and old-fashioned.
Opposites
Word family
- monoplane noun
- An aircraft with a single set of wings.
- airplane noun
- A powered flying vehicle with fixed wings.
Commonly confused: biplane or monoplane?
biplane vs monoplane
A monoplane has one set of wings; a biplane has two sets stacked.
Practice
Which word means an aircraft with two sets of wings?
Choose one answer.
Biplane comes from 'bi-' meaning two, so it has two wings. Monoplane has one wing set; helicopter and glider are different kinds of aircraft.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “biplane”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
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