aerodynamic
Americanadjective
-
having the effect of reducing the drag on an object as it moves through the air or as air flows around it.
-
of, relating to, or informed by the science of aerodynamics.
Explanation
If something is aerodynamic, it's designed to move efficiently through air. If a baseball were square instead of round, it would be much less aerodynamic — and nearly impossible to throw straight. Race cars, sleek and low to the ground, are more aerodynamic than the family minivan — in other words, their shape puts up much less resistance to the air that flows around them. It's why they can go so fast. Anything that moves smoothly through the air is aerodynamic, from a greyhound to a racing bike to a golf ball. Aerodynamic combines the Greek aero-, "air," and dynamic, "pertaining to mechanical forces."
Vocabulary lists containing aerodynamic
Elements of the Universe: Aer, Aero ("Air")
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
aer, aero
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for March 16–March 22, 2025
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The team, it turns out, had hoped for an improvement of about two seconds a lap from the aerodynamic improvements and weight-saving, and, at least in Hungary, that was pretty much delivered.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
Kerr’s sponsor, Brooks, worked with him to create an aerodynamic speed suit.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
A: We are preparing flight tests, fitting an A321 with these extended, folding wings, so that we can verify their aerodynamic performance.
From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026
Overcoming the aerodynamic drag inherent with a trad-core design was a degree-of-difficulty multiplier for Rivian’s team, requiring lots of computer simulation and iterative, millimeter-scale noodling.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 27, 2026
Later, the judges would score the surviving eggs based on durability and bounce factor and aerodynamic design.
From "The Science of Breakable Things" by Tae Keller
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
