# anti aircraft fire

CEFR C1 · Compound

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/anti-aircraft-fire
Updated: 2026-07-28

## Definition

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

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

## Examples

- The pilot had to fly low to avoid anti aircraft fire.
- During the night raid, the sky was filled with bright flashes of anti aircraft fire from the city below.
- The squadron encountered heavy anti aircraft fire while attempting to neutralize the radar installations along the coast.

## Usage notes

- 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'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.