wingspan

noun

wing·​span ˈwiŋ-ˌspan How to pronounce wingspan (audio)
: the distance from the tip of one of a pair of wings to that of the other
also : span sense 2c

Examples of wingspan in a Sentence

The hawk has a wingspan of about three feet. a plane with a 200-foot wingspan
Recent Examples on the Web Furthermore, Williams has emerged as an improved defender this season, figuring out how to best leverage his 7-foot-2 wingspan and strong frame to defend all five positions on the floor. Nick Crain, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 With a wingspan of 50 feet, max speed of 138 mph, and range of 250 miles, this vehicle can easily go the distance, even with five passengers and the pilot. Dan Sloat, Robb Report, 26 Feb. 2024 With a wingspan of up to 6 feet, the Eurasian eagle-owl is one of the world’s largest owls. Dalia Faheid, CNN, 24 Feb. 2024 To reload the pass rush, Baltimore might want to take a close look at Robinson, a Senior Bowl standout with the size (6-5, 296 pounds) and massive wingspan to overwhelm blockers at the point of attack. Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2024 But thanks to the dress’s six-foot wingspan, logistics (from red carpets to seating arrangements) forced them to hit pause. Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 24 Feb. 2024 The massive seabirds — some have wingspans of up to 12 feet — spend their lives on their wings, soaring up to 500 miles a day and cruising at 80 mph with barely a flap, so developing flight skills are critical to survival. Erika I. Ritchie, Orange County Register, 5 Feb. 2024 At 6 feet tall with a 6-foot-9 wingspan, Aiyuk has a large catch radius and sticky hands to go with his prodigious athletic gifts in terms of speed and agility. Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 5 Feb. 2024 With a wingspan of 118 inches, the Arlmont and Co. Laidley Market Umbrella has a fade-resistant canopy that opens up by a crank lift and auto-tilts for better coverage. Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wingspan.' 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

circa 1917, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of wingspan was circa 1917

Dictionary Entries Near wingspan

Cite this Entry

“Wingspan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wingspan. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

wingspan

noun
wing·​span ˈwiŋ-ˌspan How to pronounce wingspan (audio)
: the distance between the tips of a pair of wings (as of a bird or an airplane)

More from Merriam-Webster on wingspan

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