underwing
Americannoun
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one of the hind wings of an insect.
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Also underwing moth any of several noctuid moths of the genus Catocala, characterized by red-, yellow-, or orange-banded hind wings.
noun
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the hind wing of an insect, esp when covered by the forewing
Etymology
Origin of underwing
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.
The parts housing the bearings helped hold the jet’s underwing engines in place.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 19, 2026
Virgin Orbit’s underwing rocket also had less capacity than more conventional systems like Elon Musk’s Space X. It was always likely to be more of a niche product than those of competitors.
From New York Times ● Mar. 31, 2023
Virgin Orbit, founded in 2017, launches a small rocket called LauncherOne from the underwing of a modified Boeing 747, named Cosmic Girl.
From The Verge ● Aug. 23, 2021
John Phillips, an underwing mechanic at Spirit, is also looking for work outside Wichita after being laid off.
From The Guardian ● Feb. 1, 2020
Immature Drake Hen In flight, drakes appear all black except for the flash of the slight gray underwing and the bright yellow swelling at the base of the upper bill.
From Ducks at a Distance A Waterfowl Identification Guide by Hines, Robert W.
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.
