Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The distance between the tips of the wings of a flying animal, such as a bird or insect, when the wings are fully extended.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun The distance between the extreme tips of the wings of a bird, insect or aircraft.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun linear distance between the extremities of an airfoil
  • noun distance between the tips of the wings (as of a bird or insect) when fully extended

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word wingspread.

Examples

  • Whether their kind possesses the wingspread of a Lucifer or a moth is a question better left to theologians.

    The Glass Rainbow James Lee Burke 2010

  • Whether their kind possesses the wingspread of a Lucifer or a moth is a question better left to theologians.

    The Glass Rainbow James Lee Burke 2010

  • Whether their kind possesses the wingspread of a Lucifer or a moth is a question better left to theologians.

    The Glass Rainbow James Lee Burke 2010

  • Whether their kind possesses the wingspread of a Lucifer or a moth is a question better left to theologians.

    The Glass Rainbow James Lee Burke 2010

  • Even the smallest bird kicked up quite a bit of water when bathing; when a gryphon (twice the size of a war-horse, with a wingspread wide enough to shelter a small house) decided to take a bath, it tended to drench anyone within five or six furlongs.

    Elephant in the City 2010

  • Pteranodons were flying reptiles (pterosaurs) that were about 6 feet (1.8 m) long, had a 25-33 foot (7. 8-10 m) wingspread, and weighed about 35 pounds; its standing height was about 6 feet (1.8 m).

    Pteranodon/Pterosaur Papercraft | Papercraft Paradise | PaperCrafts | Paper Models | Card Models Michael James 2008

  • Among the zoological delights that awaited them according to him were the dagger-tooth: a 120 kilo, furred predator of the mountains; the greater snowbird with a three-meter wingspread and talons that could carry off a full-grown Klingon; plus a host of uncatalogued amphibians that made the marshes acutely inhospitable.

    Pawns and Symbols Majliss Larson 2000

  • Zoey pointed upward to their right to a large, light-colored bird whose wide wingspread showed off dark patches on the wings and tale.

    Devlin’s Light Mariah Stewart 1997

  • The only eagles that had ever carried off lambs were Kaled'a'in-bred bondbirds, who had the required wingspread and muscle mass, and carried them off at the behest of their bondmates.

    The Silver Gryphon Lackey, Mercedes 1996

  • The only eagles that had ever carried off lambs were Kaled'a'in-bred bondbirds, who had the required wingspread and muscle mass, and carried them off at the behest of their bondmates.

    The Silver Gryphon Lackey, Mercedes 1996

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.