water wing

noun

1
water wings plural : a pneumatic device to give support to the body of a person swimming or learning to swim
disgusted Londoners discovered that their car was as useful to them as water-wings in a desert—Mollie Panter-Downes
2
: a wall forming a wing to the abutment of a bridge or pier and extending laterally along the shore on either side as a protection from the current

Word History

First Known Use

1907, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of water wing was in 1907

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Dictionary Entries Near water wing

water willow

water wing

water wings

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Cite this Entry

“Water wing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/water%20wing. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

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