cockpit

noun

cock·​pit ˈkäk-ˌpit How to pronounce cockpit (audio)
1
a
: a pit or enclosure for cockfights
b
: a place noted for especially bloody, violent, or long-continued conflict
2
obsolete : the pit of a theater
3
: a compartment in a sailing warship used as quarters for junior officers and for treatment of the wounded in an engagement
4
: a space or compartment in a usually small vehicle (such as a boat, airplane, or automobile) from which it is steered, piloted, or driven see airplane illustration

Examples of cockpit in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The report also indicated confusion in the cockpit moments before the crash. arkansasonline.com, 13 July 2025 According to the report by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, obtained by CNN, the fuel control switches in the cockpit of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner had been flipped, starving the engines of fuel. Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 12 July 2025 True to the company’s ‘feel like a pilot’ design language, the cockpit takes inspiration from airplanes. Trinity Francis, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025 Aided by green screens behind him, Park was rapidly elevated in a chair, achieving the effect of appearing to shoot out of the cockpit’s ceiling. Jack Smart, People.com, 9 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for cockpit

Word History

First Known Use

1556, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of cockpit was in 1556

Cite this Entry

“Cockpit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cockpit. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

cockpit

noun
cock·​pit ˈkäk-ˌpit How to pronounce cockpit (audio)
: a space or compartment in a usually small vehicle (as a boat, airplane, or automobile) from which it is steered, piloted, or driven

More from Merriam-Webster on cockpit

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!