bombardier
- 01 C1 Advanced
a member of a military plane's crew who is responsible for aiming and releasing bombs.
a member of a bomber aircrew responsible for sighting and releasing the aircraft's payload.
Simple“The bombardier checked his sights as the plane approached the target.”
In context“During the mission, the bombardier had to maintain absolute focus on the optical sights despite the heavy anti-aircraft fire surrounding the formation.”
UsageCommonly used in historical contexts regarding World War II aviation.
Synonymsbomb aimer - 02 C2 Proficiency
a rank for a soldier in the artillery, similar to a corporal.
a non-commissioned officer rank in the artillery branches of certain Commonwealth armies, equivalent to the rank of corporal.
Simple“He was promoted to bombardier after serving three years in the Royal Artillery.”
In context“The bombardier was responsible for the discipline and technical proficiency of the gun crew during the live-fire exercise.”
UsageOften abbreviated as Bdr in military documents.
Synonyms - 03 C2 Proficiency
a type of beetle that sprays a hot, smelly chemical to defend itself.
a ground beetle of the subfamily Brachininae that defends itself by audibly spraying a hot, noxious chemical liquid.
Simple“The bombardier beetle escaped the predator by firing a jet of boiling liquid.”
In context“Researchers studied the unique combustion chamber of the bombardier beetle to understand how it survives the high temperatures of its own chemical spray.”
“United States President Donald Trump has said that Canada-based aeroplane maker Bombardier can no longer sell in the US unless they start manufacturing their planes in the United States.”
Partly borrowed from Italian bombardiere, from bombarda + -iere, and partly from Middle French bombardier, from bombard + -ier. By surface analysis, bombard + -ier.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.