fuselage

noun

fu·​se·​lage ˈfyü-sə-ˌläzh 

-zə-

: the central body portion of an aircraft designed to accommodate the crew and the passengers or cargo see airplane illustration

Examples of fuselage in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The plane’s fuselage was intact. —Jon Haworth, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2025

The plane’s fuselage, the agency reported, was intact. —Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 22 Oct. 2025

Its carbon-composite fuselage and empennage components reduce weight while maintaining structural strength, and its enhanced propulsion system has been optimized for long-endurance strike missions. —Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2025

Its size and outline resemble the fuselage and tail of a Lockheed Electra 10E—details that caught the attention of ALI and Purdue’s research team. —Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, from fuselé "spindle-shaped" (from past participle of fuseler "to give the shape of a spindle to," going back to Middle French, derivative of fusel "spindle," diminutive of fus "spindle," going back to Latin fūsus, of obscure origin) + -age -age

First Known Use

1909, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for fuselage

• auge
• hodge
• podge
• dislodge
• hodgepodge

Kids Definition

fuselage

noun

fu·​se·​lage ˈfyü-sə-ˌläzh 

ˈfyü-zə-

: the central body portion of an airplane that holds the crew, passengers, and cargo