Quick answer
A hangar with an A is the large building housing aircraft. A hanger with an E is what you hang clothes on, or anything that hangs. Aircraft take the A, and the two are unrelated despite the identical sound.
The core difference
A building and a hook.
- hangar — an aircraft shed: the plane was in the hangar.
- hanger — for hanging things: a coat hanger.
Where hangar came from
French, where it meant a shed or shelter — probably from a word for an enclosure. It entered English with aviation and has kept that narrow use, which is why the A spelling looks foreign: it is.
The compound to watch
Cliffhanger, paperhanger and hanger-on all take the E, because they are about hanging. Only the aircraft building takes the A.
Frequently asked questions
Which spelling houses aircraft?
Hangar, with the A.
Where does hangar come from?
French, meaning a shed or shelter. It entered English with aviation.
What about cliffhanger?
That takes the E, like every compound about hanging. Only the aircraft building uses the A.