airborne
adj. B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈɛɹˌbɔɹn// UK //ˈeəbɔːn// air·borne
adj. carried through the air or flying. You use this to describe things like planes that have left the ground, or germs that travel in the air.
adj. transported or carried by the air; in flight or having taken off from the ground.
The plane is finally airborne after a short delay.
Health officials warned that the virus is airborne, meaning it can spread easily in crowded indoor spaces.
Once the paratroopers were airborne, the mission commander provided a final briefing on the drop zone coordinates and the expected wind conditions at the target site.
Attested since the 1640s; air + -borne
Usage
Often follows a linking verb like 'become' or 'be'; frequently used in medical contexts to describe disease transmission.