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Glite Dictionary
tail rotor

tail rotor

4 6.8
A small spinning blade at the tail of a helicopter that keeps it from spinning
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : rotor de cola
  • The tail rotor is mounted with its axis vertical, not like a normal helicopter (axis horizontal).
  • lost the tail rotor

Examples

  • The tail rotor is positioned to raise or lower the tail, thereby moving the helicopter forwards or backwards.

    Blog text (26)

  • We lost the tail rotor!

    Fire Birds (1990)

  • We have a tail rotor de-ice caution light.

    The Guardian (2006)

  • Tail rotor failure.

    Olympus Has Fallen (2013)

  • The tail rotor is essential for stabilizing the helicopter during flight.

  • When the tail rotor stopped functioning, the helicopter began to spin uncontrollably.

  • Engineers designed the tail rotor to counterbalance the torque from the main rotors.

Synonyms

anti-torque rotor
vstail rotor
  • Specialized
7.7

A rotor at the tail of a helicopter that stops it from spinning

is the same device but named differently in technical use

Surface Forms

tail rotor singular
tail rotors plural

Morphology

tail + rotor

The meaning is directly compositional: 'tail' (rear part) + 'rotor' (rotating part) yields a rotating device mounted at the rear. A B1 learner who knows both words can infer it is the helicopter's rear rotating blade used to stabilise or counteract the main rotor, so the sense is transparent and predictable.

Etymology

Tail rotor is the small spinning blade at the helicopter's tail that pushes against the main rotor's turning motion so the helicopter does not 'spin'. That's why the name describes its job: a rotor on the tail that keeps the helicopter steady and lets the pilot control direction.