Definition
Aircraft with rotating propeller-like blades (rotors) on top that can hover in place, take off vertically, and fly in any direction without needing a runway.
Etymology
From Greek 'helix' (spiral) and 'ptera' (wings), literally 'spiral wings.' The term was coined in the late 19th century before functional helicopters existed, by French engineer Gustave Ponton d'Amécourt who designed an experimental flying machine.
Kelly Says
Helicopters seem like 20th-century inventions, but Leonardo da Vinci sketched a spinning screw-shaped flying machine in 1485 called the 'helical screw.' No working helicopter actually flew until 1939, 450 years later, because engineers needed powerful engines and materials strong enough to handle the physics—a reminder that good ideas don't become reality until technology catches up.
Translations
ARالعربية
طائرات هليكوبتر
tāyārat hēlikōptar
BNবাংলা
হেলিকপ্টার
he-li-kop-taar
CACatalà
helicòpters
heh-li-kop-ters
CSČeština
helikoptéry
heh-li-kop-te-ry
DADansk
helikoptere
heh-li-kop-te-re
DEDeutsch
Hubschrauber
hoob-shrak-ow-ber
ELΕλληνικά
ελικοπτέρα
eh-li-kop-teh-ra
ESEspañol
helicópteros
heh-lih-kop-teh-ros
FAفارسی
trực thăng
he-li-kop-ter
FISuomi
helikopterit
heh-li-kop-te-rit
FRFrançais
hélicoptères
heh-li-kop-tehr
HEעברית
trực thăng
he-li-kop-ter
HIहिन्दी
हेलीकॉप्टर
heh-lee-kop-ter
HUMagyar
helikopterek
heh-li-kop-teh-ek
IDBahasa Indonesia
helikopter
heh-li-kop-ter
ITItaliano
elicotteri
eh-li-kot-teh-ree
JA日本語
ヘリコプター
heriko-pu-taa
MSBahasa Melayu
helikopter
heh-li-kop-ter
MYမြန်မာ
直升机
zhí shēng jī
NLNederlands
helikopters
heh-li-kop-ters
NONorsk
helikopter
heh-li-kop-ter
PLPolski
helikoptery
heh-li-kop-te-ry
PTPortuguês
helicópteros
heh-li-kop-teh-rohs
RORomână
elicoptere
eh-li-ko-pe-reh
RUРусский
вертолеты
ver-to-lety
SVSvenska
helikopter
heh-li-kop-ter
SWKiswahili
helikopta
heh-li-kop-ta
TAதமிழ்
ஹெலிகாப்டர்
he-li-ka-ap-ter
TEతెలుగు
హెలికాప్టర్
he-li-ka-p-ter
THไทย
เฮลิคอปเตอร์
heh-li-kop-ter
TLTL
helikopter
heh-li-kop-ter
TRTürkçe
helikopterler
heh-li-kop-ter-ler
UKУкраїнська
вертольоти
ver-to-lyoty
URاردو
ہیلی کاپٹر
he-li-ka-p-ter
VITiếng Việt
máy bay trực thăng
may bay truc thang