wingman

American  

[wing-man] / ˈwɪŋˌmæn /

Or wing man

noun

1. 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.

2. Slang.

   1. a man who helps, protects, or guides a friend or associate.

      the CEO’s troubleshooting wingman.

   2. 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.

3. Sports. winger.

---

wingman British  

/ ˈwɪŋmæn /

noun

1. a player in the wing position in Australian Rules

---

Etymology

Origin of wingman

First recorded in 1940–45; wing + man

Example Sentences

Throughout his travels, David Ellison has been accompanied by a savvy wingman: Makan Delrahim.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 1, 2026

Upon noticing this, the pilot of the lead aircraft then asked another pilot on his plane to film a video of the wingman aircraft.

From BBC • Apr. 22, 2026

The wingman pilot acknowledged his sudden manoeuvre led to the collision, but argued that the lead aircraft's pilot had "tacitly consented" to the manoeuvre since he was aware that filming was taking place.

From BBC • Apr. 22, 2026

The musician Tyler Okonma, better known as the Tyler the Creator, is great in his feature film acting debut as Willy, Marty’s gambling wingman.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 23, 2025

“Well, what a good wingman you are, Scoob-a-doob! I mean that in the military sense, by the way. Not the way young folks these days use it.”

From "Clean Getaway" by Nic Stone