wing

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   One of the two body parts a bird, bat, or insect uses to fly.

   The bird was flapping its wings.

2. 2
   noun

   The flat part on each side of an aircraft that lifts it into the air.

   I took my seat on the plane, overlooking the wing.

3. 3
   noun

   A separate part of a large building, extending out from the main section.

   The patient was moved to the west wing of the hospital.

4. 4
   noun

   A group within an organization or political party that shares particular views.

   They belong to the progressive wing of the party.

From Middle English winge, wenge, from Old Norse vængr ("wing of a flying animal, wing of a building"; compare vængi (“ship's cabin”)), from Proto-Germanic *wēingijaz, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂weh₁- (“to blow”), thus related to wind. Cognate with Danish, Norwegian Bokmål and Swedish vinge (“wing”), Elfdalian waingg (“wing”), Faroese vongur (“wing”), Icelandic vængur (“wing”), Norwegian Nynorsk veng (“wing”). Replaced native Middle English fither (from Old English fiþre, from Proto-Germanic *fiþriją), which merged with Middle English fether (from Old English feþer, from Proto-Germanic *feþrō…

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