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Glite Dictionary
rotor head

rotor head

7.6
The central part of a helicopter that holds the blades and turns
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : cabeza del rotor
  • After the crash, investigators examined the rotor head to determine the cause of the accident.

Examples

  • The pilot adjusted the controls to stabilize the helicopter by maintaining a proper angle of the rotor head.

  • The whole rotor head will tilt to the left or to the right.

  • During routine maintenance, the mechanic inspected the rotor head for any signs of wear or damage.

Surface Forms

rotor head singular
rotor heads plural

Morphology

rotor + head

The meaning is directly compositional: 'rotor' (the rotating part with blades) combined with 'head' (the end/central part) yields the central part of the rotor where blades attach. This is a literal, technical compound following standard noun–noun composition and is readily inferable by a B1 learner who knows both constituents.

Etymology

Rotor head comes from the simple image of a head that holds the spinning rotor blades. The blades attach to that 'head' and turn around it, so the term means the main part of a helicopter where the blades join and spin.