Aerodynamics
/ˌɛəroʊdaɪˈnæmɪks/noun
The branch of physics concerned with the motion of air and other gases and the forces acting on bodies moving through them.
Did you know?The word was coined in the 1830s from Greek roots meaning “air” and “power,” turning a mystery of motion into a discipline of control.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₂ews-
“dawn, the brightening sky”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἀήρ (aḗr)
“air, mist, lower atmosphere”
Ancient Greek
Greek
δύναμις (dýnamis)
“power, strength, force, capacity”
1830s
English
aerodynamics
“the study of air in motion and the forces it exerts”
Modern English
English
aerodynamics
“the science of the motion of air and gases and the forces on moving bodies”