ENGLISH
REFERENCE

anti aircraft fire

compound.
C1 Advanced Technical
Definition

compound. shooting from the ground at planes or helicopters in the sky. You usually hear this word when people talk about war or defense.

compound. ground-based artillery or weaponry fire directed at enemy aircraft. Often used as an uncountable noun phrase in military or historical contexts.


SIMPLE

The pilot had to fly low to avoid anti aircraft fire.

CONTEXTUAL

During the night raid, the sky was filled with bright flashes of anti aircraft fire from the city below.

COMPLEX

The squadron encountered heavy anti aircraft fire while attempting to neutralize the radar installations along the coast.

Usage

often hyphenated as 'anti-aircraft fire' in formal writing.

Teaching tip

this is a technical military term; help students by breaking down the prefix 'anti-' (against) and the target 'aircraft'.

Last updated July 28, 2026