heli·cop·ter [helicopterhelicoptershelicopteredhelicoptering] BrE [ˈhelɪkɒptə(r)] NAmE [ˈhelɪkɑːptər] (also informal cop·ter, chop·per) noun an aircraft without wings that has large blades on top that go round. It can fly straight up from the ground and can also stay in one position in the air •He was rushed to the hospital by helicopter. •a police helicopter •a helicopter pilot See also: ↑chopper▪ ↑copter
Word Origin: late 19th cent.: from French hélicoptère, from Greek helix ‘spiral’ + pteron ‘wing’.
Example Bank: •An air ambulance helicopter came to the rescue. •He flew helicopters during the Gulf War. •Helicopters buzzed overhead. •Helicopters dropped supplies. •The helicopter hovered above the air strip. •The helicopter was downed by a missile. •The helicopters were grounded by bad weather. •The police helicopter was scrambled to search for the missing man. •The victims were flown to hospital by helicopter. •There were three people in the helicopter when it crashed. •They crowded onto a roof to board a waiting helicopter. •Troops rescued the crew of a downed helicopter. •We're going to take a helicopter tour of the island. •a helicopter carrying troops
