English Reference

Word

yaw

US/ˈjɔ/

UK/jˈɔː/

Definition

n. the movement or the specific angle of a turn to the left or right.

n. the angle of rotation about the vertical axis of an aircraft, ship, or projectile.

Examples

“The pilot made a sharp yaw to avoid the storm.”

“During the flight simulation, the instructor demonstrated how a sudden yaw can cause the plane to drift off course.”

“Aerodynamic stability is often compromised when a pilot initiates a rapid yaw without coordinating the rudder with the ailerons, leading to a potential loss of control.”

Examples

simple

“The pilot made a sharp yaw to avoid the storm.”

contextual

“During the flight simulation, the instructor demonstrated how a sudden yaw can cause the plane to drift off course.”

complex

“Aerodynamic stability is often compromised when a pilot initiates a rapid yaw without coordinating the rudder with the ailerons, leading to a potential loss of control.”

Etymology

Unknown, first attested in the mid-16th century. Perhaps related to yar (“quick, agile”), or alternatively from Old Norse jaga (“to chase, drive, move back and forth”), from Middle Low German jagen (“to hunt, chase, pursue”), from Old Saxon jagōn, from Proto-West Germanic jagōn, from Proto-Germanic *jakkōną (“to hunt”).

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

Synonyms

Related words

Domains

AviationMilitaryNautical

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Occasional
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English Reference