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Glite Dictionary
downwash

downwash

7.3
A strong downward flow of air made by a helicopter or plane when it flies
  • noun
  • /ˈdaʊnˌwɑʃ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : descenso
  • The moonlit field of grass, flattened by the downwash of the rotor blades, came into view as the chopper dipped its back ramp against the turf.
  • downwash of the rotor

Examples

  • For example, stability classes normally associated with good mixing and dispersion can result, in some cases, in odor emissions plume downwash effects.

    Academic text (1995)

  • I cried as we stood in the downwash of the rotor blades, imploring her to time-walk two thousand midsummers away.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • The helicopter settled onto a low mossy rise, the rotor downwash kicking up spray from the surrounding puddles.

  • The velocity field of these wingtip vortices imposes a downwash that slants the entire airflow downward slightly.

Synonyms

downdraft
vsdownwash
  • Specialized
5 7.1

A sudden strong downward rush of air, often near storms or in chimneys

is the downward airflow produced by aircraft lift rather than natural currents
downflow
vsdownwash
  • Specialized
4.5

Makes air or liquid move downward

is specifically caused by aircraft wings or rotors rather than general movement

How Strong

downdraft
  • Specialized
5 7.1
downwash
  • Specialized
7.3
airflow
13 3.5
breeze
201 1.0

Surface Forms

downwash singular
downwashes plural

Morphology

downwash = wash (transparent) = down + wash

The meaning is a literal compound: a 'wash' (flow/movement) that is directed downward, so learners can derive it from 'down' + 'wash'. [Postprocessing: moved 'down' from base_words to prefix]

Etymology

The word downwash is made of down ('toward the ground') and wash ('a strong flow'). Think of air being 'washed' down by a plane or helicopter, so downwash means the downward flow of air pushed from wings or rotors.