Wing: meaning, definitions and examples

Commonly used to describe the limbs of a bird or an airplane that allow it to fly. It can also be used metaphorically to describe parts of buildings or organizations.

• The bird spread its wings and took off into the sky.
• They added a new wing to the hospital.
• The left wing of the political party proposed new policies.

Primarily used in more scientific or descriptive contexts when referring to the wings of birds. It emphasizes the presence of feathers.

• The owl's feathered appendages allow it to fly silently.
• Birds with larger feathered appendages are generally better at flying long distances.

Often used in scientific or technical contexts to describe organs or structures that facilitate flight in animals, not just birds, but also in insects and other flying creatures.

• Insects have different types of flight appendages depending on their species.
• The study focused on the evolution of flight appendages in pterosaurs.

Common term used to refer to the major horizontal surfaces on either side of an airplane's fuselage that generate lift. It can also refer to the limbs of birds and insects used for flight, or metaphorically to denote a part of a group or organization.

• The bird flapped its wings and flew away.
• The right wing of the aircraft was damaged during the storm.
• They belong to the liberal wing of the party.

Technical term mainly used in American English, similar to 'aerofoil', referring to the shape of a wing, blade, or sail that is used to generate lift, drag, or thrust when moving through the air.

• The airfoil's shape was carefully analyzed to reduce drag.
• Innovations in airfoil technology have significantly enhanced aircraft performance.

Technical term used predominantly in British English for the shape of a wing or blade (of a propeller, rotor, or turbine) that is designed to produce lift or thrust when moving through air.

• The engineers optimized the aerofoil design to improve fuel efficiency.
• Wind tunnel tests showed the new aerofoil had excellent performance.

Usually refers to the appendage on birds and some insects that enables flight, or metaphorically to parts of structures that extend outward.

• The eagle spread its wings and soared into the sky.
• The hospital is adding a new wing for the pediatric department.

Used when someone makes or does something without preparation, often creatively solving an unexpected problem.

• When the actor forgot his lines, he had to improvise the rest of the scene.
• We didn't have the right ingredients, so we had to improvise a new recipe.