spurious wing
- noun
- /ˈspjʊəriəs wɪŋ/
- Specialized
:
ala espuria
- The spurious wing helps birds make precise adjustments during slow flight or landing.
Examples
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The alula, also known as the spurious wing, is crucial for preventing stalls in flight.
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Some birds have a spurious wing on their first digit.
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Some species have a very prominent spurious wing that can be easily observed up close.
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The spurious wing helps birds maneuver in the air.
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The spurious wing allows the bird to maintain stability while gliding through the air.
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When a bird spreads its wings, you can see the spurious wing located near its thumb digit.
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Many birds rely on the spurious wing to help them maneuver effectively during landing.
Synonyms
1
9.9
A small group of short stiff feathers on the front edge of a bird's wing that help control flight
A small stiff group of feathers on the front edge of a bird's wing that helps control flight when landing
Surface Forms
Morphology
A B1 learner who knows 'spurious' as 'false/not genuine' and 'wing' as the flight appendage would most likely interpret this as a 'false' or 'fake' wing, not as a small anatomical tuft like the alula. The published meaning is a specialized ornithological term (a small stiff feathered structure) that is not derivable from the literal senses of the constituents, so it is unpredictable for learners.
Etymology
Spurious wing names a tiny group of stiff feathers on a bird's 'thumb' that looks like a small extra wing. Think of this spurious little wing as 'false' or extra feathers that help the bird steer and stop in slow flight and landing, which is why the term refers to those control feathers today.