Definition
The total weight of the airplane and everything in it at a given moment, including the empty airframe, fuel, oil, pilot, passengers, baggage, and any cargo. It is the actual weight the wings must support in flight at that time.
Plain English
How much the whole airplane weighs right now, with everything and everyone on board.
Context Anchor
You see gross weight when loading the airplane, checking performance charts, and reading about how weight affects angle of attack, lift, takeoff, landing, and stall speed.
Derivation
Gross' comes from the Old French 'gros,' meaning 'large' or 'whole.' In aviation it carries the 'whole' sense — the complete, all-inclusive weight, not just one part of it.
Why Pilots Care
It determines takeoff and landing distances, climb performance, and whether the airplane stays within its structural limits.
Intuition Check
Gross does not mean dirty or rough here. It means total: the full weight of the airplane with everything included.
Example Sentence 1
After loading the bags and topping off the fuel, the pilot calculated a gross weight of 2,380 pounds — well under the airplane's limit.
Example Sentence 2
Burning off fuel during the flight lowered the gross weight and improved climb performance.