airfoil

American  

[air-foil] / ˈɛərˌfɔɪl /

noun

Aeronautics.

1. any surface, as a wing, aileron, or stabilizer, designed to aid in lifting or controlling an aircraft by making use of the air currents through which it moves.

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airfoil British  

/ ˈɛəˌfɔɪl /

noun

1. Also called: aerofoil.  a cross section of an aileron, wing, tailplane, or rotor blade

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airfoil Scientific  

/ âr′foil′ /

1. A structure having a shape that provides lift, propulsion, stability, or directional control in a flying object. An aircraft wing provides lift by causing air to pass at a higher speed over the wing than below it, resulting in greater pressure below than above. Propellers are airfoils that are spun rapidly to provide propulsion.

2. See more at Bernoulli effect See Note at aerodynamics

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Etymology

Origin of airfoil

First recorded in 1920–25; air ¹ + foil ²

Example Sentences

The first model is one that Ahmed previously developed to generate high-performing airfoil designs.

From Science Daily • Oct. 20, 2023

Parts of which household device may include the airfoil propulsion, Helmholtz cavity, and impeller?

From Slate • Sep. 14, 2023

“The hotter and more humid the surrounding air is, the more aircraft engine and airfoil performance degrade,” echoes Kathleen Bangs, a former commercial pilot who’s now a spokesperson for FlightAware.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 16, 2023

We know from streamlines that the air above the wing adheres closely to the downward curvature of the airfoil.

From Scientific American • Feb. 4, 2020

Calculating the pressure distribution over a particular airfoil at a transonic speed could easily take a month to complete for the most experienced of mathematicians.

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly