English Reference
adjective · verb

winged

adj. · v.
US /ˈwɪŋd/ winged

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    adj.having wings, like a bird or an insect.

    adj.possessing wings or wing-like appendages for flight or decoration.

    Simple

    The statue of the winged victory stood at the top of the stairs.

    In context

    Biologists identified several new species of winged insects during their expedition to the remote rainforest canopy.

    wingless
  2. 02 C1 Advanced Literary

    adj.moving very fast or soaring high in the air.

    adj.moving with great speed or soaring as if supported by wings.

    Simple

    The winged messenger arrived with the news before the sun set.

    In context

    The poet described the winged hours of youth, lamenting how quickly the best years of life seem to pass.

  3. 03 C1 Advanced Informal

    v.to have hit someone or something in the wing or the arm, causing a minor injury.

    v.past tense of 'wing', meaning to wound in the wing or the arm without causing fatal injury.

    Simple

    The hunter only winged the bird, and it managed to flutter away.

    In context

    The soldier was winged by a stray bullet during the skirmish, but the wound was superficial and required only basic first aid.


Etymology 1

From Middle English winged, wenged (“having wings”), past participle of wingen, from the noun winge, wenge.

Etymology 2

See wing (verb).

Etymology 3

See winge (verb).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Middle English winged
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated