noun
zeppelin
ZEP-uh-lin/ˈzepəlɪn/
A large, elongated airship supported by a rigid internal frame.
The zeppelin floats above the city, its long hull gleaming.
Etymology
The airship takes its name from Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin, who perfected its design. German Zeppelinschiff meant “Zeppelin ship”; the shortened name became the term for this kind of rigid airship.
In context
Have you ever seen a giant [music] floating airship slowly drifting across the sky? Almost like a cloud you could ride in. That incredible flying machine is called a Zeppelin
More examples
- A rigid metal frame gives the zeppelin its shape.
- Passengers watched the coastline from the zeppelin's cabin.
- Some zeppelins carried passengers across the Atlantic.
Forms
zeppelin · zeppelins
Similar words
- airship
- A broader term covering both rigid and nonrigid aircraft.
- dirigible
- Emphasizes steerability rather than a rigid internal frame.