parachute

A parachute is a device that helps someone jump from a high place and safely land back on the ground.

You might have seen pictures or videos of skydivers using parachutes to float gently down to earth. That's one common use for this word. People also talk about parachuting as an extreme sport, where they leap out of an airplane and then open their parachute to slow down their descent. Some countries even train soldiers in parachuting so they can jump behind enemy lines or escape from danger.