wingspan

American  

[wing-span] / ˈwɪŋˌspæn /

noun

1. the distance between the wing tips of an airplane.

2. wingspread.

---

wingspan British  

/ ˈwɪŋˌspæn, ˈwɪŋˌsprɛd /

noun

1. the distance between the wing tips of an aircraft, bird, etc

---

Etymology

Origin of wingspan

First recorded in 1915–20; wing + span ¹

Explanation

To find a bird's wingspan, you need to measure the distance from the tip of one outstretched wing to the other. An eagle has a much larger wingspan than a sparrow. Anything with two wings has a wingspan, which is one way to get a sense of its size. So birds and butterflies can be measured for wingspan, but so can airplanes. A flying squirrel can have a wingspan of over a foot, and some hummingbirds have wingspans that are barely over an inch. Sports commentators often mention the wingspan of basketball players — in this case, they're referring to the distance between a player's outstretched fingertips.

Example Sentences

Her mother also found programs that helped her daughter blossom, like the Wingspan Arts theater conservatory in Manhattan and the Young People’s Chorus of New York City.

From New York Times • Oct. 6, 2021

Thought of this way, Wingspan, the thing in the box, isn’t a work of art.

From Slate • Aug. 15, 2021

“My goal was to find a sweet spot,” she said, where die-hard gamers would find challenges but where Wingspan would still be “accessible to people who hadn’t necessarily played a lot of board games.”

From Slate • Aug. 15, 2021

Crucially, it is difficult to play Wingspan in a way that brings you into direct conflict with others.

From Slate • Aug. 15, 2021

My family discovered Wingspan, with its beautiful, hand-painted cards and gentle, strategic gameplay, last year, and soon we were playing it every weekend.

From Slate • Aug. 15, 2021