What does "aquaplane" mean?
A board on which a person stands to ride for leisure which is pulled on a water surface by a motorboat.
Aquaplane
/ˈækwəpleɪn/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A board on which a person stands to ride for leisure which is pulled on a water surface by a motorboat.
- Grammar: aquaplane is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: glide, hydroplane, hydroplaning, skim.
- Useful contrasts: grip, sink, submerge.
- Usage evidence: At high tide in the afternoon I watched his guests diving from the tower of his raft, or taking the sun on the hot sand of his beach while his two motor-boats slit the waters of the Sound, drawing aquaplanes over cataracts of foam.
How to use "aquaplane"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "aquaplane" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "aquaplane" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "aquaplane" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "aquaplane" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "aquaplane" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "glide" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "aquaplane", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A board on which a person stands to ride for leisure which is pulled on a water surface by a motorboat.
"At high tide in the afternoon I watched his guests diving from the tower of his raft, or taking the sun on the hot sand of his beach while his two motor-boats slit the waters of the Sound, drawing aquaplanes over cataracts of foam."
- 2 a board that is pulled by a speedboat as a person stands on it and skims over the top of the water wordnet
Verb
- 1 To ride for leisure standing up on a board pulled on a water surface by a motorboat. intransitive
"She waved her arm—a significant and imperative signal—but she realised, almost as she did it, that there was scant chance of any one aquaplaning at thirty or forty kilometres an hour looking to the right or to the left."
- 2 ride on an aquaplane wordnet
- 3 Of a car or other road vehicle: to lose traction with the road due to the vehicle's tyres sliding on a film of water on the road. British, broadly, intransitive
"So much water. They were held up by it, the tyres skating over a film of rain. Aquaplaning. Flying his sister’s fancy car through the wet air. Touching nothing."
- 4 rise up onto a thin film of water between the tires and road so that there is no more contact with the road wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"At high tide in the afternoon I watched his guests diving from the tower of his raft, or taking the sun on the hot sand of his beach while his two motor-boats slit the waters of the Sound, drawing aquaplanes over cataracts of foam."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "aquaplane"?
Common synonyms include: glide, hydroplane, hydroplaning, skim, towable board, water ski board.
How do you use "aquaplane" in a sentence?
At high tide in the afternoon I watched his guests diving from the tower of his raft, or taking the sun on the hot sand of his beach while his two motor-boats slit the waters of the Sound, drawing aquaplanes over cataracts of foam.
How do you pronounce "aquaplane"?
Pronounced /ˈækwəpleɪn/.
Etymology
PIE word *h₂ékʷeh₂ The noun is derived from aqua- (prefix meaning ‘water’) + plane (“flat or level surface”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pleh₂- (“flat”)). The verb is derived from the noun, and is analysable as aqua- + plane (“to glide; to soar; to skim a water surface”).