dirigible

/dɪˈrɪdʒɪbəl/

/dɪˈrɪdʒɪbəl/

Other forms: dirigibles

A dirigible is an airship, like a giant balloon in the sky that you can steer. Blimps and zeppelins are dirigibles.

Dirigibles, also called airships, fly by being lighter than air. This works because a dirigible is like a big hard balloon filled with lighter-than-air gas, such as helium or hydrogen. You've probably seen dirigibles used in advertising, like the Goodyear blimp. A famous dirigible accident was the Hindenburg crash. The rock band Led Zeppelin was going to be called Led Dirigible, but it just didn't sound as cool. Just kidding.

Definitions of dirigible

1. noun

   a steerable self-propelled aircraft
   synonyms: airship

   examples:

   Graf Zeppelin

   a large rigid dirigible designed to carry passengers or bombs

   types:

   barrage balloon

   an elongated tethered balloon or blimp with cables or net suspended from it to deter enemy planes that are flying low

   blimp, sausage, sausage balloon

   a small nonrigid airship used for observation or as a barrage balloon

   kite balloon

   a barrage balloon with lobes at one end that keep it headed into the wind

   type of:

   lighter-than-air craft

   aircraft supported by its own buoyancy
2. adjective

   capable of being steered or directed
   synonyms: steerable

   manageable

   capable of being managed or controlled