/ ˈpaɪlət; NAmE / noun , verb , adjective
■ noun
1.
a person who operates the controls of an aircraft, especially as a job :
an airline pilot
a fighter pilot
The accident was caused by pilot error.
—see also automatic pilot , autopilot , co-pilot , test pilot
2.
a person with special knowledge of a difficult area of water, for example, the entrance to a harbour , whose job is to guide ships through it
3.
a single television programme that is made in order to find out whether people will like it and want to watch further programmes
4.
= pilot light
■ verb [ vn ]
1.
to fly an aircraft or guide a ship; to act as a pilot :
The plane was piloted by the instructor.
The captain piloted the boat into a mooring.
2.
pilot sth (through sth) to guide sb/sth somewhere, especially through a complicated place or system :
She piloted a bill on the rights of part-time workers through parliament.
3.
to test a new product, idea, etc. with a few people or in a small area before it is introduced everywhere
■ adjective
[ only before noun ] done on a small scale in order to see if sth is successful enough to do on a large scale :
a pilot project / study / survey
a pilot episode (= of a radio or television series)
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WORD ORIGIN
early 16th cent. (denoting a person who steers a ship): from French pilote , from medieval Latin pilotus , an alteration of pedota , based on Greek pēdon oar, (plural) rudder.