cowling

1 of 2

noun

cowl·​ing ˈkau̇-liŋ 

: a removable metal covering that houses the engine and sometimes a part of the fuselage or nacelle of an airplane

also : a metal cover for an engine

cowling

2 of 2

present participle of cowl entry 2

Examples of cowling in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Imagine a small device inside the engine that can polish a scratch, mend minor damage or even 3D-print a replacement part—all performed autonomously and within the cowling. — Beena Ammanath, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026

Efforts in the 1920s focused on superchargers and cowlings to surround aircraft engines, but by 1968, transformed from NACA into NASA, that tiny initial effort had become an agency that put humans on the moon. — Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 10 May 2026

The new jet also features 13 stars denoting the 13 original colonies on its fuselage, the main body of an aircraft, and a circle of stars on each engine cowling, or covering, reflecting the original Betsy Ross flag and an America250 decal on the nose and winglet. — Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026

These consist of tires, suspension components, forks, fairings, cowlings, wheels, gear components, motors, housings for batteries, ABS systems, and whole frame assemblies. — New Atlas, 24 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1917, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for cowling

• fouling
• fowling
• howling
• prowling
• scowling
• towelling
• antifouling

Kids Definition

cowling

noun

cowl·​ing ˈkau̇-liŋ 

: a removable metal covering for the engine and sometimes a part of the fuselage of an airplane

also : a metal cover for an engine