Helicopters are amazing aircraft that’s used since 1939. Today, it has evolved and is used in different circumstances, so a passing helicopter is no stranger to people. But, we want to have fun when we see one, right? So, here are some British slangs you could use in place of the helicopter.
British Slang For Helicopter (In Alphabetical Order)
Autogiro
- Meaning:
- (Noun) The name ‘autogiro’ is a term used to call a helicopter. Autogiro means a self-propelled aircraft. Today, it is used as British slang for a helicopter but is not commonly used as the other slang.
- Example: I saw an autogiro fly by our house this morning.
Chopper
- Meaning:
- (Noun) A chopper is a tool that slices something in half with a single blow. The rotor of helicopter chops or cuts the air to provide the requisite lift, hence the term “chopper.” The word is a popular British slang used worldwide.
- Example: When I grow up, I want to fly a chopper.
Copter
- Meaning:
- (Noun) Copter is derived from the word ‘helicopter’. It is mainly used as British slang and is commonly used in British countries.
- Example: I heard a copter fly by the other day.
Eggbeater
- Meaning:
- (Idiom) ‘Eggbeater’ is slang for helicopter and is also used to describe a small motorboat on an outboard. It is British slang but is not widely used today.
- Example: I want to ride an eggbeater someday.
Heli
- Meaning:
- (Noun) ‘Heli’ is common slang in British countries. It is also derived from the word ‘helicopter’. Younger people tend to use this term a lot.
- Example: That heli is huge; I wanna ride one too!
Helo
- Meaning:
- (Noun) A helicopter is referred to as a ‘helo’ in slang. Helo is occasionally spoken with a long e and a long o: HEE-low, despite the fact that the ‘hel’ part of ‘helicopter’ is pronounced with a short e (like hell). Helo is most commonly associated with military terminology.
- Example: I dream of flying a helo someday.
Hover
- Meaning:
- (Noun) To hover means to stay in the same position in the air without moving forwards or backward. This action is an attribute of a helicopter, hence where the British slang ‘hover’ came from.
- Example: Did you see the hover yesterday? I heard it was headed to war!
Tilt-rotor
Meaning:
(Noun) A tilt-rotor is an aircraft with rotors that may be converted from rotating horizontally to spinning vertically, commonly during takeoffs and landings, and can switch back to horizontal. This is where the British slang for the helicopter was based on. Today, ‘tilt-rotor’ is not that used as British slang compared to before.
Example: My dad knows how to fly a tilt-rotor and promised to take me with him one of these days.
Slick
Meaning:
(Noun) The word ‘slick’ was used to call an unarmed helicopter. This is a military slang adopted by the British and used as an informal term for ‘helicopter’.
Example: A slick went by the city last night.
Whirlybird
Meaning:
(Noun) ‘Whirlybird’ is a term used for ‘helicopter’ depicting the helicopter’s wings as it whirls when flying. It has become a common British slang because of its funny nature.
Example: I rode a whirlybird the other day because I had extreme allergies and needed to be transported to the hospital right away.
