barrel roll

¹

noun

, Aeronautics.

1. a maneuver in which an airplane executes a complete roll by revolving once around its longitudinal axis.

barrel-roll

²

[ bar-uhl-rohl ]

verb (used without object)

, Aeronautics.

1. to perform a barrel roll.

barrel roll

noun

1. a flight manoeuvre in which an aircraft rolls about its longitudinal axis while following a spiral course in line with the direction of flight

verb

1. intr (of an aircraft) to perform a barrel roll

Word History and Origins

Origin of barrel roll¹

First recorded in 1930–35

Origin of barrel roll²

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

The student, Darryl George, 18, has locs, or long ropelike strands of hair, that he pins on his head in a barrel roll, a protective style that his mother said reflected Black culture.

From New York Times

Suddenly, she darts away, soaring into a barrel roll.

From National Geographic

It wasn't strange to see him pretending to crawl up the lockers, or for him to perform tactical movements like barrel rolls in the middle of the hallway.

From Literature

Last month, there were a series of Extreme E races in Sardinia and one of the cars, driven by Stéphane Sarrazin, was badly damaged in a barrel roll.

From BBC

Hassan tried to save things by hurdling over her fallen opponent, but instead tripped and did half a barrel roll.

From Fox News

More About Barrel Roll

What does barrel roll mean?

A barrel roll is an aviation maneuver in which an aircraft rolls over while also flying in a spiral or corkscrew route.

The term can also be used as a verb (typically spelled barrel-roll) meaning to perform this maneuver.

A barrel roll is typically only done by fighter jets and stunt planes. Some helicopters are capable of barrel roles, but this is rarer.

A barrel roll should not be confused with an aileron roll, in which an aircraft performs a side-to-side roll by turning upside down and then right-side up again in a single rolling motion (without flying in a corkscrew formation). However, most laypeople simply call this a barrel roll.

Example: The best part of the air show was seeing that huge plane do a barrel roll.

Where does barrel roll come from?

The first records of the term barrel roll as a name for an airplane maneuver come from around the early 1900s. The name of the move is likely based on the fact that the plane rolls in a way that’s somewhat similar to how a barrel would roll when on its side.

Barrel rolls aren’t an everyday flight maneuver. They’re typically done as a trick or as an evasive maneuver in combat, such as to avoid incoming fire. Top gun moves like these are common in movies and video games, in which they’re done with planes, helicopters, and fictional vehicles like spaceships.

The name of the barrel roll move was especially established in pop culture thanks to the 1997 video game Star Fox 64, in which the character Peppy Hare repeatedly (and unhelpfully) suggests that the player do a barrel roll as an evasive maneuver.

However, the move done in this game is actually an aileron roll, and people who are not familiar with aviation often mistakenly call aileron rolls barrel rolls. A barrel roll should also not be confused with a loop-the-loop, in which the plane flies upward in a curving motion to make a vertical loop.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to barrel roll?

• barrel-roll (verb)

What are some words that share a root or word element with barrel roll? 

• barrel
• roll

What are some words that often get used in discussing barrel roll?

• airplane
• aviation
• maneuver
• evasive
• dogfighting
• video game

What are some words barrel roll may be commonly confused with?

• aileron roll

How is barrel roll used in real life?

What most people call a barrel roll is technically an aileron roll, but the term is now  often used to describe any kind of roll done by an aircraft or other vehicle.

Yup. The point of a barrel roll in air combat is to fly a longer route over the same forward distance, thus allowing you to virtually brake without losing energy.

— Aubri Gryphon (@AubriGryphon) May 20, 2020

We chose barrel roll because 1) most folks don’t know what an aileron roll is and 2) the term barrel roll has, in recent decades, come to colloquially encompass other rolls :)

— Rosemary Mosco (Bird And Moon) (@RosemaryMosco) May 21, 2020

When I get the chance, imma barrel roll a boeing 747

— King🇳🇬 ➐ (@Lulu_boat) May 26, 2020

 

 

Try using barrel roll!

Which of the following commands is Peppy Hare likely to give you when an evasive maneuver is needed?

A. Do a barrel roll!
B. Do a barrel roll!
C. Do a barrel roll!
D. Do a barrel roll!