noun
sortie
SAW-tee
Sortie (noun) means a single military flight or mission carried out by an aircraft. Example: “The pilot flew three sorties over the border in one day.”
noun
1
A single military flight or mission carried out by an aircraft.
"The pilot flew three sorties over the border in one day."
2
A sudden attack launched from a defended position.
"The garrison staged a sortie against the besieging army."
verb
1
To carry out such a mission or attack.
"Fighter jets sortied at dawn to intercept the incoming planes."
How to use sortie
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA single military mission out and back, whether by plane or on foot from a besieged fort.
Common pairings
fly a sortie
combat sortie
launch a sortie
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Word forms
- Plural
- sorties
- Third person singular
- sorties
- Past tense
- sortied
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The pilot flew three _____ over the border in one day.
Etymology
From French sortie ("act of going out"), from sortir ("to exit"), ultimately from Latin sortiri ("to draw lots").
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for sortie
See all rhymes for sortie →Frequently asked questions
What does “sortie” mean?
The word “sortie” means a single military flight or mission carried out by an aircraft. In plain terms, a single military mission out and back, whether by plane or on foot from a besieged fort.
How do you pronounce “sortie”?
“Sortie” is pronounced SAW-tee (/ˈsɔɹti/ in IPA).
How do you use “sortie” in a sentence?
Here is “sortie” used in a sentence: “The pilot flew three sorties over the border in one day.”
What part of speech is “sortie”?
Depending on how it is used, “sortie” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “sortie” come from?
The word “sortie” comes from Latin. From French sortie ("act of going out"), from sortir ("to exit"), ultimately from Latin sortiri ("to draw lots").
How many meanings does “sortie” have?
“Sortie” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a single military flight or mission carried out by an aircraft.
