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boattail

boattail

1 7.1
With a rear that narrows like a boat to reduce air drag
  • adjective
  • /ˈboʊteɪl/
  • Specialized
: con cola de bote
  • The new sports car features a boattail rear to improve its aerodynamic performance.

Examples

  • Engineers chose a boattail design for the trailer to help reduce fuel consumption on highways.

  • Many racing cars use a boattail for improved speed.

  • The classic vehicle's boattail shape makes it stand out among other vintage cars.

  • The boattail design is common in aerodynamics.

  • The new sports car features a boattail rear to improve its aerodynamic performance.

  • Engineers chose a boattail design for the trailer to help reduce fuel consumption on highways.

  • Many racing cars are designed with a boattail shape for optimal aerodynamic efficiency.

How Tapered

pointed
43 1.8
tapered
8 4.5
boattail
  • Specialized
1 7.1
rounded
45 2.4
blunt
99 1.0

Surface Forms

boattail positive

Morphology

boattail = boat + tail (transparent) = boat + tail

The meaning is directly derived from 'boat' + 'tail' describing a rear part shaped like a boat's stern, which is readily inferable by learners.

Etymology

Boattail is formed from boat + tail, where 'tail' means the back and a boat's rear narrows to move smoothly through water. So a boattail car or trailer has a rear that narrows like a boat to cut through the air and reduce resistance.