wingspan

Everyday

1. The distance from the tip of one wing to the tip of the other wing when they are stretched out, of a bird, bat, insect or aeroplane. tree →
2. (informal) The distance between someone's fingertips when their arms are stretched out sideways. tree →

In the lessons

In science and maths lessons, wingspan is measured in centimetres or metres to compare animals; the wandering albatross has a wingspan of about 3 metres. In sport, a basketball player's wingspan helps them reach. It is a length.

Examples

• An albatross has the biggest wingspan of any bird. tree →
• The plane's wingspan is 60 metres. tree →
• Measure the butterfly's wingspan with a ruler. tree →
• Pterosaurs had huge wingspans. tree →
• My arm wingspan is about the same as my height. tree →
• The eagle spread its wings to show its wingspan. tree →

Note

One word. In maths problems it is a length, so it is measured in cm or m; to compare, subtract the smaller from the larger. Your arm span is usually close to your height.