downwash

noun

down·​wash ˈdau̇n-ˌwȯsh How to pronounce downwash (audio)
-ˌwäsh
: an airstream directed downward (as by an airfoil)

Examples of downwash in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Well after the curfew, protesters were still out on the streets, and video captured by CNN showed a military helicopter hovering over a group of them, kicking up strong wind and debris with its downwash. Oren Liebermann, CNN, 28 May 2021 The Osprey, with its two powerful tilting rotors, has a reputation for creating mayhem with its downwash. Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, 23 Apr. 2021 And then there is the downwash, or wind generated by the blades, which is a unique problem when filming a sailing race since the pilot must avoid interfering in the competition in any way. New York Times, 11 Mar. 2021 Portugal and his team also reported that the birds frequently shifted into seemingly less-optimal positions, such as directly behind the bird in front, adjusting their flapping to avoid downwash. Chelsea Wald, Scientific American, 16 Jan. 2014 Here’s an example of helicopter downwash working its magic on a cluster of Porta Potties. Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, 3 June 2020 And twin-engine UH-60 Black Hawk and UH-72 Lakota helicopters on Monday swept just above the tree-line over the capital’s streets, blasting an awestruck crowd of protestors below with a downwash of air, debris and fuel exhaust. John Walcott, Time, 3 June 2020 When wind, which flows faster at higher altitudes, hits a structure, some of it turns downward, running along the face of the building until that downwash hits the ground and turns again, reaching serious speeds. Wired, 2 Sep. 2019 This improves low-speed stability by halving the amount of surface area affected by the main rotor downwash, without compromising aerodynamics in forward flight. Eric Adams, WIRED, 31 May 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'downwash.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1914, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of downwash was in 1914

Dictionary Entries Near downwash

Cite this Entry

“Downwash.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/downwash. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

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