Meaning & use

wingspan

noun·Academic

The distance between the tips of a pair of wings, measured on a bird, insect, or aircraft.

See it in a sentence

The eagle's impressive wingspan allowed it to glide for miles without flapping.

Engineers calculated the aircraft's wingspan to ensure it would fit inside the hangar.

A note on using this word

Wingspan is also used informally in basketball to describe the distance between a player's outstretched fingertips.

Words with a similar meaning

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