glider

IPA/ˈɡlaɪdə(r)/
KK[ɡlˈaɪdɚ]IPA/ˈɡlaɪdər/

glider — noun

  • glidersingular
  • glidersplural

1. a flying vehicle with long, thin wings and no motor that stays in the air by flo

1.nounB1
Definition

a flying vehicle with long, thin wings and no motor that stays in the air by floating on rising air currents

Example

Theo and his uncle took their glider to the ridge and soared over the forest.

collocation: take a glider to [a location]

The glider's long wings caught warm air and lifted it higher with a soft sound.

metaphorical use: wings caught the warm air

Common collocations
  • pilot a glider
  • glider competition
  • glider wings
  • fly a glider
  • launch a glider
Synonyms
  • sailplane

    a type of glider built for longer, higher flights; more technical term used in competitive gliding

  • hang glider

    a small glider with a fabric wing that the pilot hangs below; different design and flying position

Grammar Patterns

countable noun

Usage Note

Frequently used with verbs of motion like 'soar,' 'drift,' and 'float' to describe how the aircraft moves through the air.

Common Mistakes

The glider has a small engine for emergencies.
The glider has no engine at all; it relies on air currents to stay up.
A glider is defined by the absence of an engine.

2. a hanging outdoor seat that moves gently back and forth, typically placed on a c

2.nounB2
Definition

a hanging outdoor seat that moves gently back and forth, typically placed on a covered terrace outside a house

Example

Elena sat on the porch glider with tea, rocking gently in the evening air.

collocation: sit on a glider

Wei sat on the glider with his grandfather, talking about life in the village.

Common collocations
  • sit on a glider
  • wooden glider
  • porch glider
  • glider cushions
  • rock on a glider
Synonyms
  • porch swing

    more common term in daily conversation; 'glider' is the specific brand-derived name for a smooth-riding porch swing

  • garden swing

    a similar seat in a garden setting, often with a canopy

Grammar Patterns

countable noun

Usage Note

This sense is most common in American English. In British English, 'porch swing' or 'garden swing' is more widely understood.

Common Mistakes

I pushed my daughter on the glider in the playground.
I pushed my daughter on the swing in the playground.
A 'glider' in this sense is a porch seat for adults, not a children's playground swing.

3. a playground seat built for two children that hangs from chains or ropes and roc

3.nounB1
Definition

a playground seat built for two children that hangs from chains or ropes and rocks back and forth when they push off the ground

Example

Fatima and her brother laughed on the red glider at the park playground.

collocation: glider at the park / playground

The teacher pushed two children on the glider while the rest waited for their turn.

Common collocations
  • play on the glider
  • push the glider
  • glider at the playground
  • two-seat glider
Synonyms
  • swing

    general term for any hanging seat that moves back and forth; 'glider' specifically refers to a two-person design, often with a bench-style seat

Grammar Patterns

countable noun

Usage Note

Less common than the word 'swing' for children's playground equipment. Use 'glider' when you want to specify the two-person design that requires both children to coordinate their movements.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

These three terms all describe unpowered flying craft, but they differ in design and how the pilot rides. A 'glider' (or 'sailplane') is a fixed-wing aircraft with a cockpit where the pilot sits inside an enclosed body; 'sailplane' is the more technical term for high-performance gliders used in competitions. A 'hang glider' has a triangular fabric wing with the pilot hanging below in a harness, steering by shifting body weight. A 'paraglider' uses a soft, parachute-like fabric wing (no rigid frame) and the pilot sits in a harness suspended underneath. All three rely on rising air currents to stay aloft, but a glider/sailplane can travel much farther and faster because of its aerodynamic design.

sailplane ↗hang gliderparaglider ↗

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'glider' is formed from the verb 'glide' (to move smoothly and continuously through the air) plus the agent suffix '-er,' meaning 'something that glides.' The verb 'glide' comes from Old English 'glīdan,' which traces back to the Proto-Germanic root '*glīdaną' (to glide, to slide). The noun entered English use in the early 15th century for anything that glides, and was specifically applied to engineless aircraft in the late 19th century as aviation technology developed.