underwing

American  

[uhn-der-wing] / ˈʌn dərˌwɪŋ /

noun

1. one of the hind wings of an insect.

2. Also underwing moth any of several noctuid moths of the genus Catocala, characterized by red-, yellow-, or orange-banded hind wings.

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underwing British  

/ ˈʌndəˌwɪŋ /

noun

1. the hind wing of an insect, esp when covered by the forewing

2. See red underwing yellow underwing

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Etymology

Origin of underwing

First recorded in 1525–35; under- + wing

Example Sentences

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

Off the main hangar floor, a young mechanic repaired two small underwing panels with blown-out fastener holes.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 29, 2015

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.