[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/raf/)

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# raf

noun (abbreviation: RAF — the Royal Air Force)

«raf» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. (abbreviation) The RAF: the Royal Air Force, the air force of the United Kingdom, founded in 1918. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/raf/#m1)
2. (Australia, NZ, Canada) RAAF, RNZAF and RCAF are the Royal Australian, New Zealand and Canadian Air Forces, named in the same way. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/raf/#m2)

### In the lessons

In history lessons the RAF is famous for the Battle of Britain in 1940; in everyday life it appears at air shows (the Red Arrows) and in careers talks. Phrases: «in the RAF», «RAF pilot», «RAF base», «the Red Arrows of the RAF».

### Examples

- My great-grandad flew Spitfires in the RAF. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/raf/#x1)
- The RAF won the Battle of Britain in 1940. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/raf/#x2)
- The Red Arrows are the RAF's display team. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/raf/#x3)
- There is an RAF base near our town. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/raf/#x4)
- She joined the RAF as an engineer. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/raf/#x5)
- Winston Churchill praised the RAF pilots as «the few». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/raf/#x6)

### Note

Written in capitals: RAF. Said as letters (R-A-F) or sometimes as one word «raff». Use «the»: the RAF. It is an abbreviation, not an ordinary word. Founded on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «raf» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/raf/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«raf» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/raf.html) on Mova free.