wingman

or wing man

[wing-man]

noun

Air Force. a pilot in a plane that flies just outside and behind the right wing of the leading aircraft in a flight formation, in order to provide protective support.

Slang.

a man who helps, protects, or guides a friend or associate: the CEO’s troubleshooting wingman.
a man who helps a friend with romantic relationships, especially one who helps the friend attract a woman: When I walked into the bar, my wingman was already there, talking to two women.

Sports. winger(def 1).

Origin of wingman

First recorded in 1940–45; wing + man¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for wingman

Contemporary Examples of wingman

My friends back home will play the wingman game and he doesn't.
DJ Pauly D Sounds Off
Marlow Stern
March 23, 2011
So is that why you retired Situation as your wingman and recruited Vinny?
DJ Pauly D Sounds Off
Marlow Stern
March 23, 2011
Can the man called Michael Steele's "wingman" help lift the fundraising body out of its mess?
Reince Priebus Ousts Michael Steele as RNC Chairman
Samuel P. Jacobs, Shushannah Walshe
January 14, 2011

Historical Examples of wingman

When you were flying, your wingman was supposed to protect you from an attack from behind.
The Biography of a Rabbit
Roy Benson
Our flight was usually Tilsen leading with his wingman and I with my wingman.
The Biography of a Rabbit
Roy Benson
Bruce and I had recuperated from the night before and he was flying as my wingman.
The Biography of a Rabbit
Roy Benson
He was my wingman, we were both shot down on the same mission and were together in prison camp.
The Biography of a Rabbit
Roy Benson

British Dictionary definitions for wingman

wingman

noun plural -men

a player in the wing position in Australian Rules

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

Word Origin and History for wingman

pilot of the plane beside the lead aircraft in a formation, 1943 (earlier as a football position), from wing (n.) + man (n.). With figurative extensions, including the dating-sidekick one that was in use by 2006.