wind tunnel

noun

: a tunnellike passage through which air is blown at a known velocity to investigate air flow around an object (such as an airplane part or model) placed in the passage

Examples of wind tunnel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The researchers tested prototypes in simulations, wind tunnels, laboratory trials, and outdoor drone drops. Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 1 Oct. 2025 The prototypes were spherical wire frames containing sails; in the wind tunnel, they were put through their paces on different surfaces, including rough and smooth terrain, sand, pebbles and boulder fields. Keith Cooper, Space.com, 30 Sep. 2025 Ames was chosen because of NASA’s established vertical flight research facilities — including the world’s largest wind tunnel — and the existing expertise base of NASA engineers familiar with rotorcraft R&D challenges. Mike Hirschberg, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025 Camarda's work in the thermal structures branch at NASA's Langley Research Center was limited to ground testing in high-temperature wind tunnels. Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 26 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for wind tunnel

Word History

First Known Use

1911, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of wind tunnel was in 1911

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Cite this Entry

“Wind tunnel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wind%20tunnel. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

wind tunnel

noun
: a passage like a tunnel through which air is blown at a known speed to investigate air flow around an object (as an airplane part or model) placed in the passage

More from Merriam-Webster on wind tunnel

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