Gosport

/ˈɡɑːspɔːrt/ noun

Definition

A small tube used in aircraft to allow communication between the pilot and passenger or crew members without radios.

Etymology

Named after Gosport, a town in Hampshire, England, where this communication device was developed in the early 20th century for aviation.

Kelly Says

Before modern aviation radios, pilots needed a creative way to shout instructions to students sitting behind them—this simple flexible tube was such a brilliant solution that it became standard equipment and its name became the word itself, a process called eponym-making.

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