airline
UK[ˈeəlaɪn]US[ˈɛrlaɪn]
n
a company that provides regular flights for passengers and goods
n
a route or service for aircraft, especially one forming part of a system
Morpheme Breakdown
air
line
air
the air, atmosphere
line
a cord, string; a course, direction
Etymology
the word "airline" is a modern compound, first attested in the early 20th century with the rise of commercial aviation. it is formed by combining "air," referring to the atmosphere through which aircraft travel, with "line," a term long used for established routes of transportation, such as shipping or railway lines. this follows a straightforward and logical pattern in english, where the mode of transport is prefixed to "line" to specify the operational domain. thus, an "airline" literally denotes a scheduled route or service operating through the air.
Analysis
Structure: air + line
air: from middle english, old french, and latin aer, meaning "the air, atmosphere". in this compound, it denotes the medium of travel.
line: from old english līne and latin līnea, meaning "a cord, string; a course, direction". in this compound, it denotes a route or service.
Examples
she works for a major international airline.
the new budget airline offers cheap flights to several european cities.
the airline apologized for the delay and offered passengers compensation.