wingspan

IPA/ˈwɪŋspæn/
KK[wˈɪŋspˌæn]IPA/ˈwɪŋspæn/

wingspan — noun

  • wingspansingular
  • wingspansplural

1. The full width of a bird's, insect's, or aircraft's wings when they are stretche

1.nounB2
Definition

The full width of a bird's, insect's, or aircraft's wings when they are stretched open completely, measured between the outermost points of the two extended wings.

Example

Bilal watched an eagle with a 2-metre wingspan circle above the canyon.

collocation: with a [number]-metre wingspan

The new passenger jet has a wingspan of nearly 80 metres, which is longer than a football field.

passive: has a wingspan of [measurement]

Common collocations
  • impressive wingspan
  • massive wingspan
  • wingspan of [number] [unit]
  • with a wingspan of
Synonyms
  • span

    Shorter, more general term; can refer to any distance across something, not just wings

  • breadth

    More formal and less common; often used in technical descriptions of aircraft

Grammar Patterns

have a [number]-[unit] wingspan

with a wingspan of [number]

Usage Note

Common in nature documentaries and aviation descriptions. Measurements are given in metric (metres, centimetres) or imperial (feet, inches) depending on region.

Common Mistakes

The bird has a 2-metre wing span.
The bird has a 2-metre wingspan.
In modern English 'wingspan' is written as one word, not two.
Its wingspan is 1.8 metres wide.
Its wingspan is 1.8 metres.
'Wingspan' already expresses distance; adding 'wide' is redundant.

2. The distance from the tip of a person's left-hand middle finger to the tip of th

2.nounB2
Definition

The distance from the tip of a person's left-hand middle finger to the tip of their right-hand middle finger when both arms are stretched out straight to the sides at shoulder height.

Example

Renata's wingspan of 1.85 metres gave her a clear advantage in the swimming competition.

possessive: someone's wingspan

The basketball coach measured each player's wingspan during the tryout session.

Common collocations
  • long wingspan
  • wingspan advantage
  • measure someone's wingspan
Synonyms
  • arm span

    A two-word alternative that is more transparent for learners and used especially in medical contexts

  • reach

    Emphasises how far someone can stretch their arms; less precise as a measurement

Grammar Patterns

have a wingspan of [number]

someone's wingspan

Usage Note

Frequently used in sports scouting and athletics to describe a physical attribute that can be an advantage in basketball, swimming, boxing, and climbing.

Common Mistakes

His wingspan is very tall.
His wingspan is very long.
Wingspan describes distance, not height; use 'long' instead of 'tall.'

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

"Wingspan" refers specifically to the tip-to-tip distance of wings, whether on an animal or an aircraft. "Span" is a shorter, more flexible word — it can describe the full extent of anything from a bridge to a person's knowledge ("span of control"). "Breadth" is more formal and often describes the overall extent or range of something ("the breadth of his experience"), not a precise measurement between two points. "Width" is the most general term for how broad something is from side to side, but lacks the specific connotation of wing- or arm-distance that "wingspan" carries. For example, you would say "the width of the table" but "the wingspan of the eagle" — using "width" for the eagle would sound unnatural.

wingspan ↗span ↗breadth ↗width ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • have a wingspan of
  • with a wingspan of
  • measure someone's wingspan

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishGermanicModern English

Formed by combining 'wing' (from Old English 'wenge' or 'winge', of Germanic origin) and 'span' (from Old English 'spann', meaning the distance from the tip of the thumb to the tip of the little finger when stretched apart). The compound first appeared in English around the late 1700s in descriptions of birds. By the early 1900s, with the rise of aviation, the term was naturally extended to aircraft.