wing
wihng
Wing (noun) means one of the limbs a bird, insect, or aircraft uses to fly. Example: “The eagle spread its wings and glided over the valley.”
noun
1
One of the limbs a bird, insect, or aircraft uses to fly.
"The eagle spread its wings and glided over the valley."
"The plane's wing was damaged by hail during the flight."
"A butterfly rested on the fence, slowly opening and closing its wings."
2
A section or faction of a building, organization, or political party.
"The hospital opened a new wing for cancer treatment."
"She belongs to the more progressive wing of the party."
"The east wing of the school houses the library and music rooms."
verb
1
To improvise something without preparation, as in "wing it".
"I didn't have time to prepare, so I just winged the presentation."
"We forgot the map, so we just winged the whole route."
"She winged her speech and still made everyone laugh."
How to use wing
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe flying limb of a bird or plane, a branch/section of something, or (informally) to improvise.
Common pairings
wing it
east wing
political wing
spread its wings
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- wings
- Past tense
- winged, wung
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The eagle spread its _____ and glided over the valley.
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.
Related words
Rhymes for wing
See all rhymes for 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.
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