pilot

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A person who flies an aircraft.

   The pilot announced that we would land in twenty minutes.

2. 2
   verb

   To fly or steer an aircraft or ship.

   She has piloted small planes for over ten years.

3. 3
   noun

   A small test of a project or plan before it is done on a large scale.

   The company ran a pilot in one city before launching nationwide.

4. 4
   noun

   The first episode of a new television series, made to see if it will be successful.

   The network loved the pilot and ordered a full season.

5. 5
   adj

   Done as a first test or trial.

   They started a pilot programme in three schools.

From Middle French pilot, pillot, from Italian pilota, piloto, older also pedotta, pedot(t)o (the form in pil- is probably influenced by pileggiare (“to sail, navigate”)); ultimately from unattested Byzantine Greek *πηδώτης (*pēdṓtēs, “helmsman”), from Ancient Greek πηδόν (pēdón, “blade of an oar, oar”), hence also Ancient and Modern Greek πηδάλιον (pēdálion, “rudder”).

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