planeador
/planeadoɾ/from spelling rulesmasculine
The Spanish word for glider is planeador.
The term refers to a glider aircraft.
Meaning: aircraft (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is derived from the verb planear (to glide) and the suffix -dor (one who does), literally meaning 'one who glides'.
How does it change in a sentence?
While planeador is the standard masculine form used for the aircraft, the feminine form planeadora can be used if referring specifically to a female pilot of a glider.
How do you pronounce it?
/planeadoɾ/
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking aviation circles, a planeador is colloquially called a velero, which is the same word used for a 'sailboat'.
- The verb planear, used to form planeador, has a double meaning in Spanish and also means 'to plan' a project or event.
- The root of planeador traces back to the Latin word 'planus', which means 'flat' or 'level'.
Examples in context
- El planeador despega sin motor y aprovecha las corrientes de aire para mantenerse en vuelo.The glider takes off without an engine and utilizes air currents to stay in flight.
- El ala delta es una forma emocionante de disfrutar del vuelo sin motor.Hang gliding is an exciting way to experience engineless flight.
- Los planeadores, ¿verdad? Esos aviones que vuelan sin motor.Glider planes, right? Those planes that fly without an engine.
- El club de vuelo ofrece cursos de piloto de planeador.The flight club offers glider pilot courses.
- ¡Mira cómo planea el ala delta por el cielo!Look how the hang glider soars through the sky!
- Nos reuniremos en el campo de vuelo para ver despegar los planeadores.We will meet at the airfield to watch the gliders take off.
- Los niños quedaron maravillados con el espectáculo de los aviones sin motor.The children were amazed by the spectacle of the engineless planes.
- El planeador es muy silencioso.The glider is very quiet.
- Vimos un planeador en el cielo.We saw a glider in the sky.
- Él está pilotando un planeador.He is piloting a glider.
Example conversation
Lucía and Javier are watching planes at an airfield.
- LucíaJavier, ¿qué es aquel avión pequeño?Javier, what is that small plane?
- JavierNo es un avión, es un planeador.It's not a plane, it's a glider.
- LucíaParece muy tranquilo el planeador.The glider looks very peaceful.
- JavierSí, solo usa las corrientes de aire.Yes, it only uses air currents.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “glider” translations and entries planeador, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries planeador, CC BY-SA 4.0.
