avionics
ay-vee-ON-iks
/ˌeɪviˈɒnɪks/
Electronic systems used in aviation, including navigation, communication, flight controls, and display systems.
A blend of 'aviation' and 'electronics', encompassing all electronic architecture on an aircraft.
The story behind the word. Coined in the late 1940s as a portmanteau of 'aviation' and 'electronics'. As aircraft transitioned from mechanical cables and basic radio to integrated radar and computing systems, a unified term was needed.
Word relationships
- flight electronics: Flight electronics is a descriptive phrase, while avionics is the formal technical umbrella term.
Commonly confused with
- aeronautics: Aeronautics is the science of flight/aerodynamics; avionics specifically refers to onboard electronic systems.
Word family
- avionic (adjective): Relating to airborne electronic systems.
Collocations
- avionics suite
- digital avionics
- avionics technician
- advanced avionics
Example sentences
- "The military upgraded the fighter fleet with state-of-the-art digital avionics." Aircraft modernization program
- "A failure in the primary avionics suite forced the crew to switch to backup flight instruments." Maintenance diagnostics
Memory hook
AVIation + electrONICS = AVIONICS. Aircraft electronic brains.
When not to use
Do not use to refer to purely mechanical components like landing gear or hydraulic lines.
Fun facts
- Modern airliners contain miles of fiber-optic cabling connecting their avionics modules.
Related words
Explore more words
Aerospace, sensor, satellite, Navigation, telemetry, cybernetic
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