nacelle

American  

[nuh-sel] / nəˈsɛl /

noun

1. the enclosed part of an airplane, dirigible, etc., in which the engine is housed or in which cargo or passengers are carried.

2. the car of a balloon.

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nacelle British  

/ nəˈsɛl /

noun

1. a streamlined enclosure on an aircraft, not part of the fuselage, to accommodate an engine, passengers, crew, etc

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Etymology

Origin of nacelle

1475–85; < French: a small boat < Late Latin nāvicella, for Latin nāvicula, equivalent to nāvi ( s ) ship ( nave ) + -cula -cule ¹

Example Sentences

Vestas currently operates two factories in Poland, an onshore blade plant that it recently acquired, and an offshore nacelle assembly facility.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 20, 2025

Separately, Universal’s engineers are developing a power system inside the plane’s nacelle — the casing around the motor — including a fuel cell that converts the hydrogen to electricity that turns the propellers.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 7, 2023

The nacelle capacity is expected to reach 100 per year, enough for 50 planes, the reports said, though no target date was stated.

From Reuters • Sep. 27, 2021

Enclosed in the nacelle would be a gearbox, generator and the other parts needed to convert rotation into electricity.

From Washington Post • Mar. 31, 2015

This finally developed into the carefully streamlined "shorthorn" with the raised nacelle and a single tail-plane.

From The Aeroplane Speaks Fifth Edition by Barber, H. (Horatio)

Related Words

• box
• crate