parasite drag

American

noun

Aeronautics.

the component of drag caused by skin friction and the shape of the surfaces not contributing to lift.

parasite drag British

noun

Also called: parasite resistance. the part of the drag on an aircraft that is contributed by nonlifting surfaces, such as fuselage, nacelles, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of parasite drag

First recorded in 1925–30

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023