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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 notes

In 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

Word forms

sortied past tense, sorties plural, Sorties plural, sorties singular

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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").

Origin: Latin

Related words

Rhymes for sortie

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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.

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial