pilot

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   operate an airplane

   The pilot flew to Cuba

2. 2
   noun

   A person who steers a ship, a helmsman.

   They scud before the wind, and sail in open sea. Ahead of all the master pilot steers; And, as he leads, the following navy veers.

3. 3
   noun

   A guide or escort through an unknown or dangerous area.

   So we mounted our horses, and put out for that town, under the direction of two friendly Creeks we had taken for pilots.

4. 4
   noun

   Something serving as a test or trial.

   We would like to run a pilot in your facility before rolling out the program citywide.

5. 5
   noun

   A sample episode of a proposed TV series produced to decide if it should be made or not. If approved, typically the first episode of an actual TV series.

   I think her biggest deal was she starred in a pilot.[…]Well, the way they pick TV shows is they make one show. That show's called a pilot. Then they show that one show to the people who pick shows, and on the strength of that one show, they decide if they wanna make more shows.

6. 6
   noun

   One who flies a kite.

   Julia has become quite a good kite pilot. She has learned how to repeatedly buzz her father's head, coming within two feet, and not hitting him.

7. 7
   adj

   Made or used as a test or demonstration of capability.

   a pilot run of the new factory

8. 8
   adj

   Used to control or activate another device.

   a pilot light

Etymology

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”).