A projectile used in badminton, consisting of a rounded cork or rubber base with feathers or synthetic materials attached to create drag and stability during flight.
From Middle English 'shuttle' (weaving tool that moves back and forth) and 'cock' (referring to a rooster's feathers). The name reflects both its back-and-forth motion in play and its traditional construction using actual bird feathers.
The shuttlecock is the only projectile in major sports that flies base-first, creating its distinctive arcing flight pattern that can reach speeds over 200 mph on the smash but slows dramatically due to air resistance. This unique aerodynamics makes badminton the fastest racket sport in terms of projectile speed!
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