The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Zeppelin \Zep`pe*lin"\ (ts[e^]p`p[~e]*l[=e]"; Angl.
   z[e^]p"p[-e]*l[i^]n), n.
   A dirigible balloon of the rigid type, consisting of a
   cylindrical trussed and covered frame supported by internal
   gas cells, and provided with means of propulsion and control.
   It was first successfully used by Ferdinand Count von
   Zeppelin.
   [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

Zeppelin
    n 1: German inventor who designed and built the first rigid
         motorized dirigible (1838-1917) [syn: Zeppelin, Count
         Ferdinand von Zeppelin]
    2: a large rigid dirigible designed to carry passengers or bombs
       [syn: zeppelin, Graf Zeppelin]