wing
9 synonyms and 0 antonyms for wing, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — One of the limbs a bird, insect, or aircraft uses to fly.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use wing
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From Old Norse vængr, related to wind through an ancient root meaning "to blow" — a wing being, at root, something that catches the air.
Full origin of wing →Frequently asked questions
What does “wing” mean?
The word “wing” means one of the limbs a bird, insect, or aircraft uses to fly. In plain terms, the flying limb of a bird or plane, a branch/section of something, or (informally) to improvise.
How do you pronounce “wing”?
“Wing” is pronounced wihng (/wɪŋ/ in IPA).
How do you use “wing” in a sentence?
Here is “wing” used in a sentence: “The eagle spread its wings and glided over the valley.”
What part of speech is “wing”?
Depending on how it is used, “wing” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “wing” come from?
The word “wing” comes from Old Norse. From Old Norse vængr, related to wind through an ancient root meaning "to blow" — a wing being, at root, something that catches the air.
Is “wing” a common word?
“Wing” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “wing” have?
“Wing” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: one of the limbs a bird, insect, or aircraft uses to fly.
Do all birds use their wings to fly?
No. Most birds fly with their wings, but some flightless species — such as penguins, ostriches, and emus — cannot. Penguins have reshaped their wings into flippers for swimming, while ostriches use theirs mainly for balance and display. A wing is defined by being a limb built for flight, even where flight has been lost.
What is the difference between a wing and a fin?
A wing is a limb used to generate lift and move through air, whereas a fin is used to steer and propel through water. Both are flat, blade-like surfaces that push against a fluid, but they operate in different mediums — air versus water — and produce different kinds of movement.
What are the types of wing?
In everyday use, wings fall into three broad groups: the feathered wings of birds, the membranous or scaled wings of insects, and the fixed, engineered wings of aircraft. All share the same job — providing lift for flight — but differ completely in structure, from bone and feather to thin membrane to metal.