wing-beat

A hummingbird hovers in mid-air with a rapid wing-beat.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A single flap of a bird's wing: "wing-beat" refers to one complete up-and-down motion of a bird's wing during flight.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The hummingbird's rapid wing-beat is almost invisible to the human eye. (A single flap of the wing.)
  • Each wing-beat propels the eagle forward with great force. (One complete motion of the wing.)

Advanced Usage

• "wing-beat frequency": the number of wing-beats per unit of time, often measured in hertz.

  • The wing-beat frequency of a bee is about 200 beats per second. (How often the wings flap in a second.)

• "wing-beat amplitude": the extent of the vertical movement of the wing during a beat.

  • Large birds have a greater wing-beat amplitude than small ones. (The range of motion of the wing.)

Variants and Related Words

• Wing-stroke (n): an alternative term for wing-beat.

  • The wing-stroke of a swan is slow and powerful. (Synonymous with wing-beat.)

• Beat (n): a single pulsation or stroke, often used in contexts of rhythm or flight.

  • The bird's wing beat was steady. (A single flap.)

Synonyms

• Flap: a single motion of a wing up or down.
  • The bird's flap was strong. (Synonymous with wing-beat.)
• Stroke: a single movement of a wing.
  • Each stroke of the wing lifted the bird higher. (Synonymous with wing-beat.)

Related Idioms

• No common idioms: "wing-beat" is a technical or descriptive term and does not appear in standard idiomatic expressions.