airfoil

air·foil  (ârfoil)

n.

A part or surface, such as a wing, propeller blade, or rudder, whose shape and orientation control stability, direction, lift, thrust, or propulsion.

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airfoil  (ârfoil)

A structure having a shape that provides lift, propulsion, stability, or directional control in a flying object. An aircraft wing provides lift by causing air to pass at a higher speed over the wing than below it, resulting in greater pressure below than above. Propellers are airfoils that are spun rapidly to provide propulsion. See more at Bernoulli effect, See Note at aerodynamics.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

airfoil - a device that provides reactive force when in motion relative to the surrounding air; can lift or control a plane in flight aerofoil, control surface, surface aileron - an airfoil that controls lateral motion device - an instrumentality invented for a particular purpose; "the device is small enough to wear on your wrist"; "a device intended to conserve water" elevator - the airfoil on the tailplane of an aircraft that makes it ascend or descend flaps, flap - a movable airfoil that is part of an aircraft wing; used to increase lift or drag horizontal stabiliser, horizontal stabilizer, tailplane - the horizontal airfoil of an aircraft's tail assembly that is fixed and to which the elevator is hinged leading edge - forward edge of an airfoil rotary wing, rotor blade - the long airfoil that rotates to provide the lift that supports a helicopter in the air rudder - a hinged vertical airfoil mounted at the tail of an aircraft and used to make horizontal course changes spoiler - a hinged airfoil on the upper surface of an aircraft wing that is raised to reduce lift and increase drag spoiler - an airfoil mounted on the rear of a car to reduce lift at high speeds stabilizer - airfoil consisting of a device for stabilizing an aircraft trailing edge - the rear edge of an airfoil vertical tail - the vertical airfoil in the tail assembly of an aircraft wing - one of the horizontal airfoils on either side of the fuselage of an airplane