dihedral

noun

di·​he·​dral (ˌ)dī-ˈhē-drəl How to pronounce dihedral (audio)
1
2
: the angle between an aircraft supporting surface (such as a wing) and a horizontal transverse line

Examples of dihedral in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Head to Bridge Buttress for mellow top-rope routes like Easily Flakey, a 5.7 up a dihedral (corner), the perfect introduction to climbing in the area. Graham Averill, Outside Online, 14 July 2024 And signature dihedral doors swoop up for entry, adding practicality and a bit of fanfare. Robert Ross, Robb Report, 24 Apr. 2023 Such an airframe modification would have meant things like longer landing gear (which might not then fit in the fuselage when retracted), more wing dihedral (upward bend), and so forth. IEEE Spectrum, 18 Apr. 2019

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1911, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dihedral was circa 1911

Dictionary Entries Near dihedral

Cite this Entry

“Dihedral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dihedral. Accessed 12 Dec. 2024.

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