wings

The word “wings” means a type of buoyancy device worn on the back by scuba divers, attached to a backplate. In plain terms, plural of wing; also specific terms in scuba diving gear and hairstyling.

“Wings” is pronounced wihngz (/wɪŋz/ in IPA).

Here is “wings” used in a sentence: “Technical divers often prefer wings over a traditional BCD jacket.”

“Wings” is a noun.

“Wings” is a fairly common word in modern English.

“Wings” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a type of buoyancy device worn on the back by scuba divers, attached to a backplate.

A wing places the buoyancy bladder behind the diver, attached to a backplate, so lift comes from the back. A jacket BCD wraps air around the sides and chest. Wings keep a diver flatter and more streamlined, which is why technical divers favour them, while jackets suit many recreational divers.

Wings provide the buoyancy a diver needs to float at the surface and stay neutrally buoyant underwater. Air is added or released to fine-tune position in the water. Because the lift sits behind the diver on a backplate, wings promote a stable, horizontal swimming posture prized for control and efficiency.

Wings are sized for the cylinders they support. A single wing offers enough lift for one tank, ideal for recreational diving. A double wing provides more lift to float twin cylinders used in technical and deep diving. Choosing the right lift capacity keeps a diver safely buoyant without being over-inflated.