aviation
UK[ˌeɪ.viˈeɪ.ʃən]US[ˌeɪ.viˈeɪ.ʃən]
n
the activity or business of operating aircraft
n
the design, development, and production of aircraft
Morpheme Breakdown
avi
ation
avi
bird
ation
noun suffix
Etymology
The word 'aviation' is a relatively modern coinage, entering English in the 19th century from the french 'aviation'. It is constructed from the latin root 'avis', meaning 'bird', combined with the suffix '-ation', which denotes an action or process. This formation directly links the act of flying to the natural model of birds in flight. The semantic logic is elegantly transparent: the technology and practice of human flight are named for their aspiration to emulate the avian world, transforming the ancient concrete concept of a bird into a modern abstract field of engineering and transport.
Analysis
Structure: avi (bird) + ation (noun suffix)
avi (from latin 'avis', meaning 'bird'); ation (a latin-derived suffix forming nouns of action or state)
Examples
He dedicated his career to the advancement of commercial aviation.
The museum has an excellent exhibit on the history of aviation.
Safety is the paramount concern in modern aviation.