Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar "aviator" shine mutumin da ke aiki ko ya cancanci sarrafa jirgin sama, kamar matukin jirgi ko ma'aikacin jirgin sama. Ma’aikacin jirgin sama shi ne wanda aka horar da shi kuma aka ba shi takardar shedar tuka jirgi, ko na jirgin sama ne na kasuwanci, ko jirgin yaki na soja, ko jirgi mai saukar ungulu, ko kowane irin jirgi. Ana amfani da kalmar “aviator” sau da yawa tare da “matukin jirgi,” amma kuma yana iya komawa ga kowane memba na ma’aikatan jirgin da ke da alhakin sarrafa jirgin.