dirigible: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2/RareTechnical, historical, formal
Quick answer
What does “dirigible” mean?
An airship, especially a rigid airship with an internal frame, that can be steered.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An airship, especially a rigid airship with an internal frame, that can be steered.
Capable of being guided, directed, or steered. Often used as an adjective meaning 'steerable'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major semantic difference, but the word is slightly more likely to appear in British historical contexts about WWI. The term 'airship' is more common in both varieties.
Connotations
Evokes early aviation, technological ambition, and often the Hindenburg disaster.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both. 'Airship' is the dominant modern term.
Grammar
How to Use “dirigible” in a Sentence
The [ADJECTIVE] dirigible [VERBed] over the [PLACE].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “dirigible” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- None. The verb 'to dirigible' is obsolete.
American English
- None. The verb 'to dirigible' is obsolete.
adverb
British English
- None standard.
American English
- None standard.
adjective
British English
- The experiment involved a dirigible balloon.
American English
- Early inventors sought a truly dirigible aircraft.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in historical or engineering contexts discussing early aviation.
Everyday
Extremely rare; 'airship' is used if needed.
Technical
Precise term in aviation history for a powered, steerable, lighter-than-air craft.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “dirigible”
- Using it to refer to any balloon. Confusing it with 'blimp' (a non-rigid dirigible).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, a blimp is a non-rigid dirigible. 'Dirigible' is the broader category.
A zeppelin is a type of rigid dirigible, originally built by the German Zeppelin company. All zeppelins are dirigibles, but not all dirigibles are zeppelins.
Yes, but it's very rare. It means 'capable of being steered'.
Due to high costs, slow speeds, vulnerability to weather, and high-profile disasters like the Hindenburg, which made airplanes a more practical choice for most air travel.
An airship, especially a rigid airship with an internal frame, that can be steered.
Dirigible is usually technical, historical, formal in register.
Dirigible: in British English it is pronounced /ˈdɪr.ɪ.dʒə.bəl/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈdɪr.ə.dʒə.bəl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None specific.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
DIRIGible can be DIRecteD and GUIDed.
Conceptual Metaphor
A SHIP OF THE AIR (navigable, large, carries cargo/passengers).
Practice
Quiz
What is a key distinguishing feature of a dirigible?