The electronic systems used in aircraft, spacecraft, and satellites for communication, navigation, and control. A portmanteau of 'aviation' and 'electronics.'
Coined in the 1940s by blending 'aviation' (from Latin avis 'bird') and 'electronics' (from Greek elektron 'amber'). The term emerged during World War II as aircraft electronics became increasingly sophisticated.
Modern commercial aircraft contain more lines of software code than the Space Shuttle did - over 15 million lines in some cases! The term 'avionics' has expanded beyond aircraft to include any vehicle that flies, including drones and even some advanced automobiles with flight capabilities.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.