# pilot

/ˈpaɪɫət/ (US) · /pˈaɪlət/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/pilot
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. aircraft operator

noun · CEFR A2

a person who operates the controls of an aircraft.

For teachers: a person qualified to operate the directional and altitude controls of an aircraft.

- The pilot announced that the plane would be landing in twenty minutes.
- After completing hundreds of hours in the flight simulator, the trainee pilot was finally cleared for her first solo cross-country flight.

### 2. maritime guide

noun · CEFR B2

a person who helps steer ships through difficult or dangerous waters.

For teachers: a person with local knowledge of depths and currents hired to navigate a vessel through a specific harbour or coastal area.

- The local pilot boarded the cargo ship to guide it safely into the narrow port.
- Maritime law often requires a local pilot to take command of the bridge when a large vessel enters a restricted waterway.

### 3. TV episode

noun · CEFR B1

a single episode of a TV show made to see if the whole series should be produced.

For teachers: a sample episode of a proposed television series produced to gauge audience reaction and network interest.

- The pilot was so popular that the network ordered ten more episodes immediately.
- While the pilot featured a different actor in the lead role, the core premise of the sitcom remained unchanged when the series was greenlit.

### 4. to fly or steer

verb · CEFR B1

to act as the pilot of a plane or ship.

For teachers: to operate the controls of an aircraft or watercraft; often used transitively.

- He has been piloting small private planes for over twenty years.
- The captain successfully piloted the damaged vessel through the storm, reaching the safety of the bay just before midnight.

### 5. to test a project

verb · CEFR B2

to test a new idea or product on a small scale before starting it fully.

For teachers: to conduct a preliminary trial of a program, product, or policy to evaluate its feasibility.

- The school decided to pilot the new lunch program in just one grade first.
- The government intends to pilot the universal basic income scheme in three specific municipalities before considering a nationwide rollout.

### 6. experimental

adjective · CEFR B2

describing something used as a test or a trial.

For teachers: serving as a tentative model or test for future developments; typically used attributively.

- The company is running a pilot project to see if people like the new app.
- The results from the pilot study suggested that the medication was effective, though a larger clinical trial is still required.

## Examples

- The pilot landed the plane safely during the storm.
- After the pilot episode received high ratings from the test audience, the network ordered a full season of the show.
- Commercial pilots must undergo rigorous psychological evaluations and hundreds of hours of flight training before they are permitted to command long-haul international routes.

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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.