empennage

American  

[ahm-puh-nahzh, em-, ahn-pe-nazh] / ˌɑm pəˈnɑʒ, ˌɛm-, ɑ̃ pɛˈnaʒ /

noun

empennages plural

1. the rear part of an airplane or airship, usually comprising the stabilizer, elevator, vertical fin, and rudder.

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empennage British  

/ ɑ̃pɛnaʒ, ɛmˈpɛnɪdʒ /

noun

1. the rear part of an aircraft, comprising the fin, rudder, and tailplane

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• empennages
  plural

Etymology

Origin of empennage

1905–10; < French: literally, feathering, equivalent to empenn ( er ) to feather an arrow ( em- em- ¹ + -penner, derivative of penne feather; see pen ¹) + -age -age

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

empennage

His idea embodied 'everything'—the wings forming an oblique sail, the empennage, the spindle forms to diminish resistance, the screw-propeller, the 'explosion' motor,... he even described a means of securing automatic stability.

From The Mastery of the Air by Claxton, William J.

Related Words

• back end
• rear
• rudder