sea·plane / ˈsēˌplān/ • n. an aircraft with floats instead of wheels, designed to land on and take off from water.

seaplane Aircraft that can land on and take off from water. The first practical seaplane was built in the USA by Glenn H. Curtiss, and flown in 1911. There are two main types of seaplane. Floatplanes have large floats that support the fuselage above the water. Flying boats float on their boat-shaped hulls, with small floats supporting the wings.