empennage

[ ahm-puh-nahzh, em-; French ahn-pe-nazh ]

noun

, plural em·pen·nag·es [ahm-p, uh, -, nah, -zhiz, em-, ah, n, -pe-, nazh].

1. the rear part of an airplane or airship, usually comprising the stabilizer, elevator, vertical fin, and rudder.

empennage

/ ɑ̃pɛnaʒ; ɛmˈpɛnɪdʒ /

noun

1. the rear part of an aircraft, comprising the fin, rudder, and tailplane

Word History and Origins

Origin of empennage¹

1905–10; < French: literally, feathering, equivalent to empenn ( er ) to feather an arrow ( em- em- ¹ + -penner, derivative of penne feather; pen ¹ ) + -age -age

Word History and Origins

Origin of empennage¹

C20: from French: feathering, from empenner to feather an arrow, from penne feather, from Latin pinna

Example Sentences

There were 500 people each involved in two joint ventures set up for the production of the empennage and the cabin.

From Reuters

Another team, Mamba, described their eponymous vehicle as “a hexcopter emphasizing safety, certifiability, and performance. Shrouded rotors and a tilting empennage are incorporated.”

From The Verge

I'm shaking already, like a hula-hula dancer's empennage.

From Project Gutenberg

His idea embodied 'everything'—the wings forming an oblique sail, the empennage, the spindle forms to diminish resistance, the screw-propeller, the 'explosion' motor,... he even described a means of securing automatic stability.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• back end
• rear
• rudder