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An aerodrome (in some countries "airfield") is any place from and to which flight operations take place. The term is used in Britain as it has the same spelling in French. In the United States, the word was modified into airdrome but has become obsolete since the Second World War. In Canada^[1] and Australia^[2] usage it is a legal term of art for any area of land or water used for aircraft operation, regardless of facilities.

The Canadian act says "...for the most part, all of Canada can be an aerodrome.", however there are also "registered aerodromes" and "certified airports". To become a registered aerodrome the operator must maintain certain standards and keep the Minister of Transport informed of any changes. To be certifed as an airport the aerodrome, which usually supports commercial operations, must meet certain safety standards.^[1]

A water aerodrome is an area of open water used regularly by seaplanes for landing and taking off. The Canadian government publishes a directory of Canadian Water Aerodromes in the Water Aerodrome Supplement (WAS).^[3]

Etymologically, the word was created on the basis of "Hippodrome", a word going back to Classical Antiquity and especially famous for the Hippodrome of Constantinople during the Byzantine Empire.

In Science Fiction stories written in the 1930s and early 1940s the term "Spacedrome" was frequently used in fictional depictions of a space travelling future. This word, however, has gradually dropped out of use in science ficion.

The term "Cosmodrome" was first used in the former Soviet Union and refers to a spaceport. Today the spaceport of Baikonur is still referred to as the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

1. ^ ^{a b} Transport Canada AGA - 2.0 AERODROMES AND AIRPORTS
2. ^ Commonwealth Consolidated Acts
3. ^ WAS description