Landing vs. Touchdown — What's the Difference?

Landing is the last part of a flight, where a flying animal, aircraft, or spacecraft returns to the ground. When the flying object returns to water, the process is called alighting, although it is commonly called "landing", "touchdown"a or "splashdown" as well.

A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.

The act or process of coming to land or rest, especially after a voyage or flight.

Abbr. TD(Football) An act of carrying, receiving, or gaining possession of the ball across the opponent's goal line for a score of six points.

A termination, especially of a voyage or flight.

The contact, or moment of contact, of a landing aircraft or spacecraft with the landing surface.

A site for loading and unloading passengers and cargo.

A six-point score occurring when the ball enters possession of a team's player in the opponent's end zone.

Landings An amount of fish or shellfish harvested in a particular place during a particular period.

(rugby) A defensive action of grounding the ball in the team's own in-goal to stop the play.

An intermediate platform on a flight of stairs.

(rugby) A try scoring play of grounding the ball in the opposing team's in-goal.

The area at the top or bottom of a staircase.

(aviation) The moment when an aircraft or spacecraft makes first or final contact with the ground during a landing.

An arrival at a surface, as of an airplane or any descending object.

The moment of contact of a tornado with the ground.

A place on a shoreline where a boat lands.

The act of touching the football down behind the opponents' goal; also the score (6 points) resulting from such a play.

A level area at the top of a flight of stairs, or connecting one flight with another.

A score in American football; being in possession of the ball across the opponents' goal line

Present participle of land

A landing (as the wheels touch the landing field); especially of airplanes

Of, pertaining to, or used for, setting, bringing, or going, on shore.

A going or bringing on shore.

A place for landing, as from a ship, a carriage. etc.

The level part of a staircase, at the top of a flight of stairs, or connecting one flight with another.

The act or process of bringing an aircraft to land after having been in the air; as, the pilot made a perfect three-point landing. Contrasted with take-off.

An intermediate platform in a staircase

Structure providing a place where boats can land people or goods

The act of coming down to the earth (or other surface);

The act of coming to land after a voyage