autorotativeadj.
/ˌɔːtə(ʊ)rə(ʊ)ˈteɪtɪv/, /ˌɔːtə(ʊ)ˈrəʊtətɪv/, U.S. /ˌɔdəˈroʊdədɪv/, /ˌɔdəroʊˈteɪdɪv/, /ˌɔdoʊˈroʊdədɪv/, /ˌɔdoʊroʊˈteɪdɪv/, /ˌɑdəˈroʊdədɪv/, /ˌɑdəroʊˈteɪdɪv/, /ˌɑdoʊˈroʊdədɪv/, /ˌɑdoʊroʊˈteɪdɪv/ Aeronautics.
Involving or producing autorotation; relating to autorotation.
ΚΠ
1923 R. M. Wood in W. L. Marsh Rep. Internat. Air Congr. 300 It is conceivable that the autorotative properties of a stalled wing might prove to be helpful in landing in very disturbed air.
1946 Pop. Sci. Monthly May 88/2 ‘This is an autorotative landing,’ he said. He throttled back.
1963 Times 6 June p. ix/5 The pitch and speed of the helicopter's rotor when under power are very different from those it needs to make an autorotative descent after engine failure.
2004 B. N. Pamedi Performance, Stability, Dynamics, & Control of Airplanes (ed. 2) vii. 650 The critical aerodynamic tendency of such airplanes at stall is the autorotative tendency.
This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, June 2011; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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adj.1923