Plain English Meaning

Lift isn't created at just one spot on a wing — it's spread out along the whole wing. The center of lift is the one point where you can imagine all that lifting force acting together, like balancing the wing on a single finger.

Full Definition

The center of lift is the single point on a wing where the total lift force produced by the wing can be considered to act. It is the average location of all the lift being generated across the wing's surface, and it shifts forward or aft as the angle of attack changes.

Context Anchor

Seen in basic aerodynamics diagrams that show lift, weight, and how forces act on an aircraft in flight.