tail fin
tail fin — noun
1. the flat, wide part at the back end of a fish, whale, dolphin, or other sea anim
the flat, wide part at the back end of a fish, whale, dolphin, or other sea animal, which helps it push through water by moving from side to side or up and down.
When the shark swam past, Harper could see its large tail fin move slowly from side to side.
tail fin + of + shark / large fish
A dolphin uses its powerful tail fin to push itself up out of the water and into the air.
The fish had a damaged tail fin, which made it much harder for it to swim against the current.
Iris pointed at the bright orange tail fin of the goldfish as it darted around the tank.
Scientists can identify some whale species by the unique shape and colour of their tail fin.
- caudal fin
the formal scientific term, used mainly in biology
- fluke
the specific name for the tail fin of a whale, dolphin, or porpoise
文法句型
tail fin + of + animal
用法筆記
In fish, the tail fin is also called the caudal fin. For whales and dolphins, the tail fin is made of strong tissue rather than bone.
常見錯誤
2. a vertical or angled panel at the back of some cars, aircraft, or rockets that h
a vertical or angled panel at the back of some cars, aircraft, or rockets that helps keep them balanced and stable when moving at high speed.
The old Cadillac was easy to spot because of its huge silver tail fins at the back.
tail fin + on classic American cars
The tail fin of the Boeing 737 stood high above the runway as the plane taxied towards the gate.
Noor carefully painted a small model rocket, making sure the red tail fin was attached straight.
The car's tail fins were a popular design feature in American cars during the 1950s and 1960s.
Each airline paints its logo on the vertical tail fin of its planes so that people can recognise them.
- vertical stabiliser
the technical term for the tail fin on an aircraft; includes the rudder
- rear spoiler
a similar part on modern cars, though usually smaller and designed to reduce air drag
文法句型
tail fin + of + vehicle
用法筆記
This meaning is most common when talking about classic American cars from the 1950s/1960s or the tail section of an aircraft. For modern cars, the term 'rear spoiler' is more common.