airfoil

[ air-foil ]

noun

, Aeronautics.

1. any surface, as a wing, aileron, or stabilizer, designed to aid in lifting or controlling an aircraft by making use of the air currents through which it moves.

airfoil

/ ˈɛəˌfɔɪl /

noun

1. a cross section of an aileron, wing, tailplane, or rotor blade Also calledaerofoil

airfoil

/ âr′foil′ /

1. 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.
2. See more at Bernoulli effectSee Note at aerodynamics

Word History and Origins

Origin of airfoil¹

First recorded in 1920–25; air ¹ + foil ²

Example Sentences

The researchers used a series of scans to create a 3D representation of the position of the blade and to identify precisely the front and rear sections of the airfoil -- a special shape of the blade that helps the air flow smoothly over the blade.

From Science Daily

The first model is one that Ahmed previously developed to generate high-performing airfoil designs.

From Science Daily

Parts of which household device may include the airfoil propulsion, Helmholtz cavity, and impeller?

From Slate

“The hotter and more humid the surrounding air is, the more aircraft engine and airfoil performance degrade,” echoes Kathleen Bangs, a former commercial pilot who’s now a spokesperson for FlightAware.

From Seattle Times

Even Ms. Maynard’s large-scale works of public art — like her sweeping glass-and-tile mosaic mural in the 125th Street station of the Lexington Avenue subway line in Harlem, or her nearly 17-foot-tall stainless steel airfoil sculpture commemorating Black veterans at Ramsay Park in Boston — convey a Black point of view that she felt was intrinsic to her work.

From New York Times