Definition
Airplanes that produce thrust by spinning a propeller, which is a set of rotating blades shaped like small wings that pull (or push) the airplane through the air. The propeller is turned by an engine — most commonly a piston engine, but in some cases a turbine engine (a turboprop).
Plain English
Airplanes that fly by using a spinning propeller on the front (or sometimes the back) to pull them through the air, rather than using a jet engine alone.
Context Anchor
You see this term in maneuver descriptions, especially slow flight, where power changes in propeller airplanes affect speed, climb or descent, and control feel.
Derivation
Propeller comes from the Latin propellere, meaning 'to drive forward.' That captures the idea exactly: the propeller is what drives the airplane forward through the air.
Why Pilots Care
Propeller effects such as torque, P-factor, and slipstream influence control inputs and stall behavior during slow flight maneuvers.
Intuition Check
Do not read propeller-driven as meaning the propeller makes the airplane stay up. The propeller provides forward thrust; the wings produce the lift.
Example Sentence 1
Most flight schools train students in propeller-driven airplanes such as the Cessna 172 or Piper Cherokee.
Example Sentence 2
The handbook notes that propeller-driven airplanes require specific power and pitch adjustments during slow flight to counteract yaw tendencies.