VERTICAL TAIL

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does vertical tail mean? 

• VERTICAL TAIL (noun)
  The noun VERTICAL TAIL has 1 sense:

1. the vertical airfoil in the tail assembly of an aircraft

  Familiarity information: VERTICAL TAIL used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• VERTICAL TAIL (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The vertical airfoil in the tail assembly of an aircraft

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("vertical tail" is a kind of...):

aerofoil; airfoil; control surface; surface (a device that provides reactive force when in motion relative to the surrounding air; can lift or control a plane in flight)

Meronyms (parts of "vertical tail"):

rudder (a hinged vertical airfoil mounted at the tail of an aircraft and used to make horizontal course changes)

tail fin; tailfin; vertical fin; vertical stabiliser; vertical stabilizer (a stabilizer that is part of the vertical tail structure of an airplane)

Holonyms ("vertical tail" is a part of...):

empennage; tail; tail assembly (the rear part of an aircraft)

 Context examples 

"Airplanes have a vertical tail to orient stably into the wind," said Lentink.

(Scientists discover how birds navigate crosswinds, National Science Foundation)