vane
noun
\ ˈvān
\
\
Definition of vane
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a
: a movable device attached to an elevated object (such as a spire) for showing the direction of the wind
b
: one that is changeable or inconstant
2
: a thin flat or curved object that is rotated about an axis by a flow of fluid or that rotates to cause a fluid to flow or that redirects a flow of fluid
the vanes of a windmill
3
: the web or flat expanded part of a feather — see feather illustration
4
: a feather fastened to the shaft near the nock of an arrow
Vane
biographical name
\ ˈvān
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\
Definition of Vane (Entry 2 of 2)
Sir Henry 1613–1662 the Younger English statesman
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Other Words from vane
Noun
vaned
\ ˈvānd
\
adjective
\
adjective
Examples of vane in a Sentence
Noun
the vanes of a windmillRecent Examples on the Web: Noun
When the Museum of Old Newbury purchased the weathercock from the First Religious Society of Newburyport in 2018, the presumption was the vane was made by either Shem Drowne or his son Thomas. — Maysoon Khan, BostonGlobe.com, "Rare weathervane finds new perch in Newburyport," 1 Aug. 2019 There’s a laughing Buddha statue with four Caruso children climbing on it, a wind vane with the kids’ initials, and a favorite quote from each child inlaid in brass on the stone veranda. — Christina Binkley, latimes.com, "The Miramar Beach hotel in Montecito opens with a splash," 10 June 2019 The turning of the vanes can, however, be modeled as a capillarity effect, and described by the Korteweg equations. — Quanta Magazine, "Famous Fluid Equations Are Incomplete," 21 July 2015 In 1879, Maxwell attempted to describe the turning vanes of the Crookes radiometer by modeling the thin air inside the vacuum chamber as a fluid. — Quanta Magazine, "Famous Fluid Equations Are Incomplete," 21 July 2015 One of two sensors known as angle-of-attack vanes, located near the nose of the plane, would have to malfunction or be damaged to cause the scenario suspected in the crash. — Nizar Manek, The Seattle Times, "Ethiopian Boeing 737 MAX crash investigators seek missing sensor suspected of malfunctioning," 29 Mar. 2019 Most of the heat that's produced by braking is dissipated through the rotor vanes. — Jay Leno, Popular Mechanics, "How to Keep Classic Cars Road-Ready," 12 Dec. 2012 The front splitter, the hood scoop, the fender vents, the aero vanes up on the roof (that actually channel air over the wing), the winglets, the triple-tip exhaust, and the red pinstriped wheels make the Type R seem like a life-sized shout for help. — Jim Resnick, Ars Technica, "America finally gets Honda’s best: The 2018 Civic Type R," 22 Jan. 2018 Jason Jarvis, president of Jarvis Airfoil Inc., a Portland manufacturer of fan, compressor and turbine blades and vanes for military and commercial jet engines, compared Trump’s tariffs with pre-Civil War protectionism. — Stephen Singer, courant.com, "Connecticut Manufacturers Jeer Trump's Tariffs," 12 Mar. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'vane.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for vane
vane
noun
English Language Learners Definition of vane
: a thin, flat or curved object that is attached to a wheel and that moves when air or water pushes it
See the full definition for vane in the English Language Learners Dictionary
vane
noun
\ ˈvān
\
\
Kids Definition of vane
1
: weather vane
2
: a flat or curved surface that turns around a center when moved by wind or water
the vanes of a windmill
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