Viators

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A person who operates an aircraft, responsible for its control and navigation through the air
2. An individual engaged in flying a vehicle designed for air travel, ensuring safety and regulations are followed
3. Someone who pilots an airplane or other flying craft, navigating and managing the flight experience

Etymology: "Viators" is the plural of "viator," which English borrowed from Latin "viātor," meaning "traveler." The Latin word comes from "via," "road" or "way," so a viator is literally someone who goes along a road. In Latin it was an ordinary word for a traveler, with no connection to flight. The modern sense, people who fly aircraft, is a far later and more specialized use. The word has been applied to pilots and aviators in the sense of those who travel through the air, so the ancient idea of a road-walker has been carried up into the sky.

Synonyms: traveler, passenger, commuter