thopter

English

Etymology

Clipping of ornithopter.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈθɒptə(ɹ)/

Noun

thopter (plural thopters)

1. (fiction) Synonym of ornithopter (“birdlike aircraft”)
   • 1965, Frank Herbert, Dune, New York: Ace Books, →OCLC, page 225:

     Another ’thopter glided in over the cliff wall above Hawat. He drew in a sharp breath as he saw it—a big troop-carrier. It flew with the slow, spread-wing heaviness of a full load like a giant bird coming to its nest.

   • 1997 September, Dan Simmons, The Rise of Endymion, New York: Bantam, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 363:

     I'm sending down five more dropships, combat EMVs, and a thopter gunship.

   • 2000 February 14, “Flowstone Thopter”, in Magic: The Gathering, Nemesis, Wizards of the Coast:

     Flowstone Thopter gets +1/-1 and gains flying until end of turn.