fuselage

[ fyoo-suh-lahzh, -lij, -zuh-, fyoo-suh-lahzh, -zuh- ]

noun

, Aeronautics.

1. the complete central structure to which the wing, tail surfaces, and engines are attached on an airplane.

fuselage

/ ˈfjuːzɪˌlɑːʒ /

noun

1. the main body of an aircraft, excluding the wings, tailplane, and fin

Word History and Origins

Origin of fuselage¹

1905–10; < French, equivalent to fusel ( é ) spindle-shaped (derivative of fuseau spindle; fusee ) + -age -age

Word History and Origins

Origin of fuselage¹

C20: from French, from fuseler to shape like a spindle, from Old French fusel spindle; see fusee

Example Sentences

What sets the Drone 40 apart from a host of other small drone designs is the long, vertical fuselage.

From Popular-Science

Ingenuity has an incredibly lightweight design, clocking in at only 4 pounds with a fuselage slightly bigger than a softball.

From Popular-Science

One of those elements is the “aerodynamic shaping of the aircraft,” he mentions, like the plane’s long, skinny fuselage.

From Popular-Science

That’s why the plane’s fuselage has its blimpy shape, and why the wings are located towards the back.

From Popular-Science

One of the main ways the plane aims to be so efficient is by keeping the air flowing smoothly over the fuselage for as long as possible.

From Popular-Science

At the same time, the heaviest parts—the main fuselage, the engines and wings—sink to the bottom.

From The Daily Beast

The helicopters must be armored, with a bullet-resistant fuselage and glass.

From The Daily Beast

Its olive-green fuselage stood out against the snowed peaks.

From The Daily Beast

The fuel supplying those engines is drawn from three tanks—one in the lower center fuselage, and one in each wing.

From The Daily Beast

Like the wings, the tail surfaces—horizontal and vertical—easily break away from the fuselage and float.

From The Daily Beast

A bullet struck the fuselage and ricocheted past his ear; another ripped a hole in the canvas of his wing.

From Project Gutenberg

Tam had a tray of bombs under the fuselage—something in destructive quality between a Mills grenade and a three-inch shell.

From Project Gutenberg

A few inches in front of my nose was the breach of a heavy machine-gun whose muzzle projected over the bow of the fuselage.

From Project Gutenberg

If left long enough, the gasoline manages to soak well into the fuselage before evaporating.

From Project Gutenberg

The fuselage of a plane, scarred and broken, was still held in the strong limbs.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• frame
• material
• skeleton