spacecraft

noun

space·​craft ˈspās-ˌkraft How to pronounce spacecraft (audio)
: a vehicle or device designed for travel or operation outside the earth's atmosphere

Examples of spacecraft in a Sentence

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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.
What really caught my attention is the possibility of reusing the cleanup spacecraft. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026 Without propulsion to counter that drag, a spacecraft can eventually descend into denser atmospheric layers. — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 25 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for spacecraft

Word History

First Known Use

1929, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of spacecraft was in 1929

Rhymes for spacecraft

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Browse Nearby Words

space-charge effect
spacecraft
space curve
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Cite this Entry

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

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Kids Definition

spacecraft

noun
space·​craft ˈspā-ˌskraft How to pronounce spacecraft (audio)
plural spacecraft
: a vehicle for travel beyond the earth's atmosphere

More from Merriam-Webster on spacecraft

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about spacecraft

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