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Definition of "payload" []

  • The revenue-producing part of a cargo. (noun)
  • The total weight of passengers and cargo that an aircraft carries or can carry. (noun)
  • The total weight of the instruments, crew, and life-support systems that a spacecraft carries or can carry. (noun)
  • The passengers, crew, instruments, or equipment carried by an aircraft, spacecraft, or rocket. (noun)
  • The explosive charge carried in the warhead of a missile. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "payload" in a sentence
  • "STS-118:¬† There are some problems with ESP-3:¬†¬†the Interface Control Document normally takes¬†7 months to¬†translate payload¬†requirements¬†into orbiter interfaces to support payload requirements."
  • "Since their payload is already smaller than Ares I, it will cut into Orion even more, which is what many people on here complain Ares I does."
  • "The customized malware payload is innocuous looking, low profile, and usually avoids typical malware giveaways."