The curved shape of an airplane wing or control surface designed to create lift when air moves across it; the fundamental shape that makes flight possible.
British term combining aero- (air) and foil (from Latin folium, leaf). Emerged in early aviation when engineers realized wings needed special curved shapes to generate lift efficiently.
The aerofoil is one of humanity's most important inventions—by simply curving a surface, engineers harness air pressure differences to create lift that can hold up thousands of tons, and it works the same whether you're a sparrow or a 747!
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