cockpit

noun

cock·​pit ˈkäk-ˌpit How to pronounce cockpit (audio)
1
a
: a pit or enclosure for cockfights
b
: a place noted for especially bloody, violent, or long-continued conflict
2
obsolete : the pit of a theater
3
: a compartment in a sailing warship used as quarters for junior officers and for treatment of the wounded in an engagement
4
: a space or compartment in a usually small vehicle (such as a boat, airplane, or automobile) from which it is steered, piloted, or driven see airplane illustration

Examples of cockpit in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In May, another United Airlines flight bound for Minneapolis, Minnesota, made an emergency landing in Madison, Wisconsin, after a passenger allegedly attempted to storm the cockpit, according to air traffic control audio. — Jessica Mekles, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2026 Even more impressively, the center console features three dedicated, tactile rotary dials akin to having an AMG race engineer in the cockpit with you. — New Atlas, 24 Oct. 2026 The display uses a dark interface with red and white graphics, drawing inspiration from fighter jet cockpit screens. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2026 The sky lounge’s roof mimics a car’s cockpit, with a lounge and a Jacuzzi settled underneath. — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 21 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cockpit

Word History

First Known Use

1556, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of cockpit was in 1556

Phrases Containing cockpit

Rhymes for cockpit

See All Rhymes for cockpit

Browse Nearby Words

cock penny
cockpit
cockpit voice recorder
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Cite this Entry

“Cockpit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cockpit. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

cockpit

noun
cock·​pit ˈkäk-ˌpit How to pronounce cockpit (audio)
: a space or compartment in a usually small vehicle (as a boat, airplane, or automobile) from which it is steered, piloted, or driven

More from Merriam-Webster on cockpit

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cockpit

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