wingspan

wingspan — noun

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

1.名詞B2
釋義

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.

例句

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]

同義詞
  • 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

文法句型

have a [number]-[unit] wingspan

with a wingspan of [number]

用法筆記

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

常見錯誤

❌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.名詞B2
釋義

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.

例句

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.

同義詞
  • 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

文法句型

have a wingspan of [number]

someone's wingspan

用法筆記

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

常見錯誤

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