pilot

Meanings

Plural: pilots

Noun

someone who is licensed to operate an aircraft in flight
a person qualified to guide ships through difficult waters going into or out of a harbor
a program exemplifying a contemplated series; intended to attract sponsors
something that serves as a model or a basis for making copies
small auxiliary gas burner that provides a flame to ignite a larger gas burner
an inclined metal frame at the front of a locomotive to clear the track
A person who steers a ship, a helmsman.
A person who knows well the depths and currents of a harbor or coastal area, who is hired by a vessel to help navigate the harbor or coast.
A guide book for maritime navigation.
An instrument for detecting the compass error.
A pilot vehicle.
A person authorised to drive such a vehicle during an escort.
A guide or escort through an unknown or dangerous area.
Something serving as a test or trial.
Something serving as a test or trial.
The heading or excavation of relatively small dimensions, first made in the driving of a larger tunnel.
A tone or signal, usually a single frequency, transmitted over a communications system for control or synchronization purposes.
A person who is in charge of the controls of an aircraft.
A sample episode of a proposed TV series produced to decide if it should be made or not. If approved, typically the first episode of an actual TV series.
A cowcatcher.
A racing driver.
A pilot light.
One who flies a kite.
A short plug, sometimes made interchangeable, at the end of a counterbore to guide the tool.

Verb

operate an airplane
- "The pilot flew to Cuba"
act as the navigator in a car, plane, or vessel and plan, direct, plot the path and position of the conveyance
To control (an aircraft or watercraft).
To guide (a vessel) through coastal waters.
To test or have a preliminary trial of (an idea, a new product, television show, etc.)
To serve as the leading locomotive on a double-headed train.
To guide or conduct (a person) somewhere.

Adj

Made or used as a test or demonstration of capability.
Used to control or activate another device.
Being a vehicle to warn other road users of the presence of an oversize vehicle/combination.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle French pilot, pillot, from Italian pilota, piloto, older also pedotta, pedot(t)o (the form in pil- is probably influenced by pileggiare (“to sail, navigate”)); ultimately from unattested Byzantine Greek *πηδώτης (*pēdṓtēs, “helmsman”), from Ancient Greek πηδόν (pēdón, “blade of an oar, oar”), hence also Ancient and Modern Greek πηδάλιον (pēdálion, “rudder”).

Synonyms

airplane pilot, archetype, aviate, buffer, cowcatcher, fender, fly, navigate, original, pilot burner, pilot film, pilot light, pilot program

Scrabble Score: 7

pilot is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
pilot is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
pilot is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 9

pilot is a valid Words With Friends word