Military infantry intended to be transported by air and delivered to the battlefield by parachute or helicopter.
"The airborne division waited on the tarmac, ready to be dropped behind enemy lines at dawn."
In plain English: An airborne is someone who has been infected by germs floating through the air and can spread them to others just by breathing or talking nearby.
"The airborne troops landed safely behind enemy lines to secure the bridge."
moved or conveyed by or through air
"The newly developed drone is designed to remain airborne for several hours without needing a recharge."
In or carried by the air.
"The newly released dust was quickly becoming airborne as the wind picked up speed."
Usage: Use airborne as an adjective to describe objects, diseases, or people that are suspended in the air rather than on a surface. It is often confused with "aerial," but while aerial refers generally to anything related to flying or the sky, airborne specifically means currently floating within it.
The word airborne appeared in English during the 1640s by combining "air" with "-borne." It originally described something carried or floating through the atmosphere.