swing-wing

American

[swing-wing] / ˈswɪŋˌwɪŋ /

adjective

(of an airplane) having wings whose horizontal angle to the fuselage centerline can be adjusted fore and aft to optimize aerodynamic performance at widely differing speeds.

swing-wing British

adjective

of or relating to a variable-geometry aircraft

"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

noun

1. such an aircraft
2. either wing of such an aircraft

"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 swing-wing

First recorded in 1965–70

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.

See Examples For:

swing-wing

Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird announced that the Soviets "have a new swing-wing bomber under development" with "intercontinental range capability."

From Time Magazine Archive

The official explanation for the latest snag was continuing trouble with the Boeing Co.'s design for its swing-wing B-2707.

From Time Magazine Archive

He also praised the Franco-British plan to build a swing-wing fighter-bomber in the 1970s.

From Time Magazine Archive

The swing-wing F14, which can take off from land runways or carriers and has a primary mission of protecting the fleet against air attack, has proved extremely effective in tests.

From Time Magazine Archive

The MiG-23, for example, has the "swing-wing" look of the U.S.

From Time Magazine Archive

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