What does paraglider mean?
A paraglider is a lightweight, flexible-wing craft used for unpowered flight. A fabric canopy is connected to the pilot by suspension lines, allowing the pilot to steer, adjust speed, and descend gradually. The term may also refer to the person flying it, although specifying a pilot can remove ambiguity. Paragliding is the activity or sport, associated with recreational hill flights, tandem flights with a passenger, and competitions judged on distance, speed, or accuracy. Its name reflects the craft’s hybrid character: it incorporates parachute technology but is designed for sustained, controllable gliding rather than merely a descent beneath a conventional parachute. The word is distinct from both a fixed-wing glider and a hang glider, although it is sometimes informally compared with both.
nounA lightweight, flexible-wing aircraft used for unpowered flight, consisting of a canopy connected to the pilot by suspension lines. The term can also denote a person who flies one.
- A lightweight flexible-wing aircraft used to glide through the air, usually launched on foot.
- A person who flies or competes in a paraglider.
"The pilot clipped into the paraglider and launched from the ridge."
"The pilot clipped into the paraglider and launched from the ridge."
"After years of lessons, she became a confident paraglider."
The plural may refer to several pieces of equipment, several people who fly them, or a mixture of both.
"The two paragliders climbed together into the rising air."
Its name is a flying lesson in miniature: a parachute that glides.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of paraglider
The word was formed in the 1960s by combining para-, as in parachute, with glider. Its name describes the basic distinction of the craft: a parachute-derived canopy that supports gliding flight. The related activity became known as paragliding and developed specialist terms for equipment such as canopies, lines, and harnesses.
Related word forms
How paraglider is actually used
The noun is standard in both British and American English. It can denote either the equipment or the person operating it, so context may be needed for clarity; paragliding is the usual term for the activity or sport.
Easily confused with paraglider
A glider is a fixed-wing aircraft, whereas a paraglider uses a flexible canopy and suspension lines.
A hang glider has a rigid frame and fabric wing, while a paraglider has a flexible canopy and no rigid frame.