wingspan

American  

[wing-span] / ˈwɪŋˌspæn /

noun

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

2. wingspread.

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wingspan British  

/ ˈwɪŋˌspæn, ˈwɪŋˌsprɛd /

noun

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

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Etymology

Origin of wingspan

First recorded in 1915–20; wing + span ¹

Example Sentences

It can weigh as much as 5½ pounds with a wingspan of nearly 5 feet and have large, powerful talons.

From Los Angeles Times

Each is 80 to 100 feet wide, sized for helicopters and warplanes that have shorter wingspans than most commercial passenger aircraft, said Damien Symon, a researcher at The Intel Lab, an intelligence consulting firm.

From The Wall Street Journal

The wingspan of an adult bald eagle ranges from 5.5 to 8 feet across; it’s roughly the same for a golden eagle.

From Los Angeles Times

MD-11s are just over 61 metres long and have a wingspan of 52 metres, smaller than Boeing 747s , which are roughly 76 metres long and have a wingspan of 68 metres.

From BBC

“Her wingspan is so long. She’s blocking shots all the time.”

From Los Angeles Times