wingspan

[ wing-span ]

noun

the distance between the wing tips of an airplane.
wingspread.

Origin of wingspan

First recorded in 1915–20; wing + span¹

Words Nearby wingspan

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use wingspan in a sentence

Given the wingspan constraints imposed by the width of the actual cargo hold, the drone is a good approximation for the size and range of any plane-launched flying robot.
This Airbus prototype could deploy drones from cargo planes | Kelsey D. Atherton | February 24, 2021 | Popular-Science
When they’re tucked up, the wingspan is just shy of 213 feet—narrow enough to fit within a gate’s allocated space.
The most daring aerospace innovations of 2020 | By Rob Verger and Charlie Wood | December 2, 2020 | Popular-Science
It weighs upwards of 12,500 pounds, with a wingspan of 79 feet.
San Diego Kept Quiet on Plans for Military-Grade Drone to Catch Speeding Drivers | Jesse Marx | December 1, 2020 | Voice of San Diego
With his aforementioned 7-foot-6 wingspan, Davis is capable of connecting himself to any part of the court when anchoring defenses.
Anthony Davis Was Key For The Lakers’ Title Run. He’s Also The Key To Their Future. | James L. Jackson | October 14, 2020 | FiveThirtyEight
Strangely, for such an acute observer of nature, Leonardo apparently did not perceive the importance of wingspan for reducing the effort needed to fly.
The science behind how an aircraft glides | By Peter Garrison/Flying Mag | September 3, 2020 | Popular-Science

It has the swooping, symmetrical grace of a bird's wingspan.
The World's Most Beautiful Boat—Yours for Half a Billion Dollars | Tim Teeman | October 19, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
The Sunseeker has the wingspan of a 747 and a body the same size as a sedan.
Solar Plane That Can Fly Day and Night Takes Off | Miranda Green | May 3, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST
And Sandy is even stranger—and more disruptive—than past market closures because of its massive wingspan.
Hurricane Sandy Grinds the Global Money Engine to a Halt | Alex Klein, Matthew Zeitlin | October 29, 2012 | THE DAILY BEAST
They are ugly looking buzzards, but remarkable for their 11-foot wingspan.
Gal With a Suitcase | Jolie Hunt | February 20, 2010 | THE DAILY BEAST

British Dictionary definitions for wingspan

wingspan

wingspread (ˈwɪŋˌsprɛd)

/ (ˈwɪŋˌspæn) /

noun

the distance between the wing tips of an aircraft, bird, etc

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

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