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empennage (ahm-puh-NAHZH, em-puh-NAHZH) - n., the tail assembly of an aircraft.
Including horizontal and vertical stabilizers, elevators, and rudder. Adopted around 1908 from French, literally feathering, used of the feathers of an arrow, from empenner, to feather an arrow (derivative of penne, feather). So a jumbo jet has fletching.
---L.
Including horizontal and vertical stabilizers, elevators, and rudder. Adopted around 1908 from French, literally feathering, used of the feathers of an arrow, from empenner, to feather an arrow (derivative of penne, feather). So a jumbo jet has fletching.
---L.
