tail fin

tail fin

also tail·fin  (tāl′fĭn′)

n.

1. A fin at the posterior part of the body of a fish, crustacean, whale, or other aquatic animal.

2. An ornamental projection shaped like a fin on the rear fender of an automobile. Also called fin¹.

3. A fin at the tail end of an aerodynamic or hydrodynamic object such as an airplane or surfboard, used to provide directional control or stability.

tail′ fin`

n.

1. the terminal vertical fin of a fish.

2. See under fin ¹ (def. 6).

[1675–85]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	tail fin - a stabilizer that is part of the vertical tail structure of an airplane tailfin, vertical fin, vertical stabiliser, vertical stabilizer stabilizer - airfoil consisting of a device for stabilizing an aircraft vertical tail - the vertical airfoil in the tail assembly of an aircraft
	2.	tail fin - one of a pair of decorations projecting above the rear fenders of an automobile fin, tailfin auto, automobile, car, motorcar, machine - a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine; "he needs a car to get to work" decoration, ornament, ornamentation - something used to beautify
	3.	tail fin - the tail of fishes and some other aquatic vertebrates caudal fin fin - organ of locomotion and balance in fishes and some other aquatic animals heterocercal fin - a tail fin with unequal lobes in which the vertebral column turns upward into the larger lobe as in sharks homocercal fin - symmetrical tail fin extending beyond the end of the vertebral column as in most bony fishes fish - any of various mostly cold-blooded aquatic vertebrates usually having scales and breathing through gills; "the shark is a large fish"; "in the living room there was a tank of colorful fish"