Plain English Meaning
A wing that holds itself up from the inside, with no outside supports running between it and the fuselage.
Full Definition
A wing design that is supported entirely by its own internal structure, attached to the fuselage at its root without any external bracing such as struts or wires.
Context Anchor
Seen in aircraft structure descriptions, airframe inspections, and discussions of wing design.
Derivation
From the architectural term 'cantilever,' meaning a beam fixed at one end and unsupported at the other. Applied to aircraft, it describes a wing that projects from the fuselage with no outside props holding it up.
Why Pilots Care
Cantilever wings reduce and compared with braced designs, improving and simplifying inspections.