Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

relative wind

American  
[wind] / wɪnd /

noun

  1. the velocity or direction of airflow with respect to the body it surrounds, especially an airfoil.

Etymology

Origin of relative wind

First recorded in 1915–20

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.

“Angle of attack,” as Travis defines, refers to the angle between the wing and the relative wind blowing over it.

From Salon • Apr. 27, 2019

The last column shows the tangential pressure on concave surfaces which O. Lilienthal found to possess a propelling component between 3 deg. and 32 deg. and therefore to be negative to the relative wind.

From The Project Gutenberg Encyclopedia Volume 1 of 28 by Project Gutenberg

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.