monocoque

American  

[mon-uh-kohk, -kok] / ˈmɒn əˌkoʊk, -ˌkɒk /

noun

1. a type of boat, aircraft, or rocket construction in which the shell carries most of the stresses.

2. Automotive. a type of vehicular construction in which the body is combined with the chassis as a single unit.

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or being a monocoque.

monocoque British  

/ ˈmɒnəˌkɒk /

noun

1. a type of aircraft fuselage, car body, etc, in which all or most of the loads are taken by the skin

2. a type of racing-car, racing-cycle, or powerboat design with no separate chassis and body

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adjective

1. of or relating to the design characteristic of a monocoque

Etymology

Origin of monocoque

1910–15; < French, equivalent to mono- mono- + coque shell, eggshell (of uncertain origin)

Example Sentences

The idea is to prevent the plank from bending upwards into a gap that had been deliberately left by some teams between the plank and underside of the monocoque for that purpose.

From BBC • Aug. 23, 2022

It has a monocoque frame, which means the bodywork is the frame, not separate body panels attached to the frame as with other scooters.

From New York Times • Dec. 27, 2018

The trailer’s lightweight rigidity is owed to the more than 5,000 hand-bucked rivets holding the load-bearing skin, the monocoque, to the tubular subframe.

From The Wall Street Journal • Sep. 16, 2015

The young British driver climbed unhurt from motor racing's first ever carbon fibre monocoque cabin.

From BBC • Mar. 10, 2011

Note.—The monocoque is of wood and steel construction, the others wood only.

From Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1913 by Various