Shuttle: meaning, definitions and examples

When related to space, it refers specifically to a reusable spacecraft designed for transport between Earth and space.

• NASA's Space Shuttle Atlantis completed several missions to space
• The shuttle will dock at the International Space Station tomorrow

A general term for any vehicle designed for travel or operation in outer space. It can be manned or unmanned.

• The spacecraft was launched to study the surface of Mars
• They are developing a new type of spacecraft for deep space travel

A more casual and imaginative term for a vehicle intended for or capable of traveling in space. Often used in science fiction or in a less technical context.

• In the movie, the spaceship travels to different galaxies
• The children were excited to read about the adventures of a spaceship in the storybook

Refers specifically to a vehicle that operates both in the atmosphere and in space, often resembling an airplane in design.

• The spaceplane can take off and land on conventional runways
• Engineers are testing a prototype spaceplane for commercial flights

A shuttle is typically a vehicle that travels regularly between two points, often for purposes like airport transport or between different locations within a campus or business area.

• The airport provides a shuttle service to the nearby hotels
• The university has a shuttle that runs between the dormitories and the main campus

A bus is a large road vehicle designed to carry many passengers, usually running along a fixed route and on a fixed schedule within towns or cities or for longer distances.

• I take the bus to work every morning
• The number 25 bus will take you straight to the city center

A train is a series of connected carriages or cars that move along tracks to transport people or goods over longer distances, often between cities or different regions.

• He commutes to the city by train every day
• The train to Boston departs from platform 5

A shuttle bus is specifically a bus that runs back and forth between two points, often a short distance, and typically for purposes like transporting people to and from airports, hotels, or events.

• The airport shuttle bus leaves every 30 minutes
• Guests can use the hotel's shuttle bus to get downtown