An airplane designed to take off from and land on water, with floats or a hull that allows it to operate on oceans, lakes, or rivers instead of requiring a runway.
Compound word from 'sea' and 'plane,' coined in the early 20th century as aviation developed. As airplanes became practical, designers adapted them to land on water before sufficient airfields existed on land.
During the 1920s-30s, seaplanes were the primary way to cross oceans—they stopped at remote islands to refuel before flying boats were replaced by long-range land planes, but they never disappeared: they're still crucial for rescues and accessing remote areas.
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