noun

airdrop

AIR-drop

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Airdrop (noun) means a distribution of free cryptocurrency tokens sent directly to many people's wallets at once, usually to publicise a new project or to reward people who have already used it. Example: “Anyone who had used the app before March qualified for the airdrop.”

noun

A distribution of free cryptocurrency tokens sent directly to many people's wallets at once, usually to publicise a new project or to reward people who have already used it.

"Anyone who had used the app before March qualified for the airdrop."

"She woke up to an airdrop of tokens she had never heard of."

proprietary; usually written AirDrop A wireless feature on Apple devices for sending files directly to a nearby phone or computer.

"Send me the photos by AirDrop rather than email."

verb

To send out such tokens to many wallets.

"The team airdropped the token to early users last week."

How to use airdrop

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishFree digital tokens sent straight to people's accounts.

When to use it

Informal in crypto contexts. Unexpected airdrops arriving in a wallet are commonly used as bait in scams, and the word often appears in warnings about them.

Memory tip

In crypto writing it is one lowercase word; Apple's feature is styled AirDrop with a capital D.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

AirDrop (Apple) ICO faucet → giveaway →

Common pairings

claim an airdrop airdrop eligibility surprise airdrop airdrop farming qualify for an airdrop

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

Anyone who had used the app before March qualified for the _____.

Etymology

A figurative use of the military sense of airdrop, delivering supplies by parachute, applied to tokens sent out to many wallets at once.

Origin: English

Synonyms

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token distribution token giveaway free token drop distribute drop issue

Related words

problem deal include issue fall increase subject lose

Frequently asked questions

Why do projects give away free tokens?

Mainly to attract attention and to spread ownership of the token among many holders rather than a few. Some airdrops also reward people who used an early version of a service, which encourages others to try new projects in the hope of a future distribution.

What is the difference between an airdrop and an ICO?

In an airdrop the tokens are handed out at no cost. In an ICO, an initial coin offering, people pay for the tokens, so it works more like a sale or fundraising round.

Are unexpected airdrops safe?

Tokens can arrive in a wallet without the owner doing anything, and a common scam pattern is to send worthless tokens whose "claim" page asks for wallet permissions. Simply holding an unknown token does not move funds; the risk comes from interacting with links or approvals attached to it.

What is the meaning of airdrop?

"airdrop" (noun) means a distribution of free cryptocurrency tokens sent directly to many people's wallets at once, usually to publicise a new project or to reward people who have already used it.

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