nacelle
Americannoun
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the enclosed part of an airplane, dirigible, etc., in which the engine is housed or in which cargo or passengers are carried.
-
the car of a balloon.
noun
Etymology
Origin of nacelle
1475–85; < French: a small boat < Late Latin nāvicella, for Latin nāvicula, equivalent to nāvi ( s ) ship ( see nave) + -cula -cule 1
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.
Hidden from view inside the sleek outer nacelle are hundreds of little turbine blades that can shrug off enormous mechanical stresses and temperatures exceeding 1,500C.
From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026
For the aircraft of tomorrow, Safran is also developing an "open fan" engine free of the nacelle or encasing, which traditionally encloses and protects the fan blades.
From Barron's ● Oct. 28, 2026
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
Once the tower is securely fastened to the ocean floor, the nacelle, which houses the motor, is placed on top of it, and each of the three turbine blades are attached.
From Scientific American ● Oct. 15, 2021
It was a day when five reporters had gathered, and Carl felt very much in the limelight, waiting in the nacelle of the machine for the time to start.
From The Trail of the Hawk A Comedy of the Seriousness of Life by Sinclair Lewis
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