wingspan

noun

wing·​span ˈwiŋ-ˌspan 

: 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

Coogan stretches his massive wingspan and sways to the music as the on-air countdown ticks toward zero. —Julia Black, Vanity Fair, 8 Jan. 2026

This is a large bird, standing up to 2 feet in height with a wingspan to nearly 5 feet. —Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Jan. 2026

The school also posted a picture of the center, who reportedly has a 7-4 wingspan, palming two basketballs on the program’s website. —Alex Valdes, New York Times, 1 Jan. 2026

At the weight of an adult human with a four-foot-three-inch wingspan, just moving the giant fish from its habitat to an exam pool is an exercise in teamwork. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 24 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1917, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for wingspan

• afghan
• bedpan
• began
• caveman
• chapin
• crankpin
• cyan
• deadpan
• dextran
• divan
• doorman
• fishman

Kids Definition

wingspan

noun

wing·​span ˈwiŋ-ˌspan 

: the distance between the tips of a pair of wings (as of a bird or an airplane)