Meanings
plural liftoffs · alternative lift-off
- The point at which a person or animal leaves the ground, as for example when jumping.
As she was on her approach to the hoop, taking that first Jordanesque liftoff step, her mouth guard fell floorward. Undeterred, she kept going up with the ball in her right hand.
2011, Robert Strauss, Daddy's Little Goalie, page 53 - figurativelyThe point of launching into success or action.
Ederson was booked and received lengthy treatment, meaning that Mac Allister had to wait and wait. His penalty, though, bristled with assurance. Liverpool had liftoff. The home crowd sensed that this was their moment.
2024 March 10, David Hytner, “Doku involved at both ends as Liverpool and Manchester City share spoils”, in The Guardian
Synonyms & antonyms
Origin
Deverbal from lift off.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian излитане
- излитане (izlitane)the point in the launch of a rocket or an aircraft where it leaves contact with the ground
Finnish irtoaminen
- irtoaminenthe point in the launch of a rocket or an aircraft where it leaves contact with the ground
French décollage
- décollagethe point in the launch of a rocket or an aircraft where it leaves contact with the ground
German Start
- Startthe point in the launch of a rocket or an aircraft where it leaves contact with the ground
Italian lancio, partenza
- lanciothe point in the launch of a rocket or an aircraft where it leaves contact with the ground
- partenzathe point in the launch of a rocket or an aircraft where it leaves contact with the ground
Polish start, wzlot
- startthe point in the launch of a rocket or an aircraft where it leaves contact with the ground
- wzlotthe point in the launch of a rocket or an aircraft where it leaves contact with the ground
Portuguese descolagem
- descolagemthe point in the launch of a rocket or an aircraft where it leaves contact with the ground
Russian взлёт
- взлёт (vzljot)the point in the launch of a rocket or an aircraft where it leaves contact with the ground
Spanish despegue
- despeguethe point in the launch of a rocket or an aircraft where it leaves contact with the ground
Tagalog paglumpat
- paglumpatthe point in the launch of a rocket or an aircraft where it leaves contact with the ground
Turkish kalkış
- kalkışthe point in the launch of a rocket or an aircraft where it leaves contact with the ground
Cite this entry
liftoff. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/liftoff
“liftoff.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/liftoff. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “liftoff,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/liftoff.
Source: liftoff on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.