Airports

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈɛə.pɔːts/

Definitions

1. A facility for the landing and departure of aircraft, commonly incorporating passenger terminals and various services for travelers Locations designated for aviation activities, generally providing amenities for passengers and operations related to air travel Establishments that support the takeoff and landing of planes, often equipped with shops and transportation options for visitors
2. Designated sites where airplanes regularly begin and end flights, usually featuring runways and terminals
3. Areas equipped to handle flying vehicles' arrivals and departures, often including passenger and cargo facilities

Etymology: "Airports" is the plural of "airport," a word built from two plain English parts: "air" and "port." The "port" half is an older word for a harbour or gateway, a place where ships load and unload, which is why a landing ground for aircraft took the same name. The compound is simple and transparent, so the story is mostly one of analogy: an aircraft's home base was pictured as a seaport for the sky.