Link Centre Dictionary

vane

UK/ven/ US/veɪn/ uncommon

noun

1.

flat surface that rotates and pushes against air or water

Synonyms
2.
3.

a metal fin attached to the tail of a bomb or missile in order to stabilize or guide it

4.

the flattened weblike part of a feather consisting of a series of barbs on either side of the shaft

Synonyms

Origin

From Middle English vane, Southern Middle English variant of fane, from Old English fana (“cloth, banner, flag”), from Proto-West Germanic *fanō, from Proto-Germanic *fanô, from Proto-Indo-European *peh₂n- (“something woven; weave; tissue; fabric; cloth”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Foone (“flag, banner”), Dutch vaan (“banner, flag”), German Low German Fahn (“flag”), German Fahne. Doublet of obsolete fane (“weathercock; banner”) and fanon.

Phrases

  • Cooper vane
  • wind vane

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WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.