What does hydroplaning mean?
Hydroplaning is a hazardous driving condition in which a vehicle's tyres ride on a layer of water instead of gripping the road. It commonly occurs on flooded or heavily rain-soaked surfaces, particularly when water is deep enough to overcome the tyres' ability to displace it or when the driver exceeds a safe speed. The vehicle may become difficult to steer or brake, and countersteering can be necessary once the tyres regain contact with the road. The term is widely used in American and British English, although aquaplaning is especially common in Britain. In a separate sense, hydroplaning means travelling over water without touching its surface, a practice associated with speedboats and other powered craft. The word combines the Greek-derived prefix hydro-, meaning “water,” with a sense of “plane” or “surface,” reflecting the movement of a vehicle across a film of water.
The loss of tyre traction when a vehicle rides on a film of water instead of making effective contact with the road; also, the act of travelling over water without touching it.
"The warning signs of hydroplaning include a sudden loss of directional control."
The road-safety sense is more common in modern usage. The recreational sense is associated with speedboats and similar craft.
To lose traction by riding on a film of water, especially when travelling on a road.
"The vehicle hydroplaned when it entered the standing water."
Also used intransitively for moving across the surface of water without touching it.
The plural is grammatically possible but rarely needed in ordinary usage.
"The report documented several hydroplanings on the flooded stretch of road."
A car can hydroplane at surprisingly low speeds: the danger comes not from deep water alone, but from the way water can lift the tyres off the road.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does hydroplaning come from?
Hydroplaning was formed in the early 20th century from the combining form hydro-, from Greek hudor meaning “water,” and plane, used in the sense of a flat or level surface. The word originally described a vehicle moving at speed across the surface of water and was later extended to the loss of tyre traction on wet roads. Its relatives hydrogen, hydraulic, and hydrophobic share the same Greek element referring to water.
Related word forms
How hydroplaning is actually used
In road-safety contexts, hydroplaning is usually intransitive: a vehicle or driver hydroplanes. The spelling hydroplaning is standard in American English, while aquaplaning is especially common in British English. The verb also has a separate recreational sense associated with powerboats or similar craft.
Easily confused with hydroplaning
Both terms describe a vehicle losing tyre contact with a wet road, though aquaplaning is the more common term in British English, while hydroplaning is widely used in both British and American English.