Airwaybill

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A document issued by an airline or freight forwarder that serves as a receipt, contract, and shipping label for goods transported by air
2. A type of document utilized in air shipping that acts as a receipt, contract, and label for the goods being transported by an airline or freight forwarder
3. This kind of document functions as both a receipt and a shipping contract while labeling goods that are flown via an airline

Etymology: The word is a plain compound: "air" joined to "waybill," the document that accompanies a shipment of goods. A waybill is a transport document listing what is being carried, from where to where, and who is responsible for it, and the name comes from the older sense of "way," meaning a route or journey. Put "air" in front and the meaning narrows to freight sent by aircraft: the airwaybill is the air cargo receipt issued by the carrier when goods are accepted for air transport. Its job is what gives the word its shape. The document serves as evidence of the contract between shipper and carrier, and it travels with the goods, so the same paper trail follows the shipment from origin to destination. The compound simply names the mode of transport, marking the form as the air version of the waybill used for road, rail and sea freight.