An airplane control surface, similar to an aileron, that works to slow down or reduce speed during flight.
From Latin 'de-' (down, away) + 'celeritas' (speed) + '-on' (a suffix for aircraft control surfaces, like aileron). This is a technical aviation term developed in the mid-20th century.
Modern aircraft like the Space Shuttle actually used deceleration flaps and speed-brakes to slow down during landing, which is why understanding deceleron mechanics became essential for safe high-speed descent.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.