a cross section of an aileron, wing, tailplane, or rotor blade
Also called: aerofoil
airfoil in American English
(ˈɛrˌfɔɪl)
US
noun
1.
a part with a flat or curved surface, as a wing, rudder, etc., specifically designed to keep an aircraft up or control its movements by reacting to the air through which it moves
2.
a similar winglike surface designed to improve stability for high-speed cars and boats; spoiler
airfoil in Automotive Engineering
(ɛərfɔɪl) or aerofoil
Word forms: (regular plural) airfoils
noun
(Automotive engineering: Vehicle components, Bodywork, controls, and accessories)
An airfoil is a flat shape such as a wing that is intended to produce a particular effect from the flow of air.
Engineers have made a modification to the racing car's airfoil wings to increase the downward force.
The off-road vehicle had a giant rear airfoil that actually doubled as a roof rack.
As air flows over an airfoil wing it is forced downwards, which creates an upward force on the wing.
Examples of 'airfoil' in a sentence
airfoil
It might have been gliding, using its flattened torso like an airfoil.
Niven, Larry & Pournelle, Jerry THE MOAT AROUND MURCHESON'S EYE (1993)